Alchemist, v3 Paths of the Great Work Blood Alchemy Clay Alchemy Mad Alchemy Mystic Alchemy Refinements Seeker, v3 (Outlander) Class Features Adept Paths Adept Path of Bone and Shroud Adept Path of Mask and Mirror Adept Path of Flame and Blood Adept Path of the World's Ending Change Log Known/Potential Issues

 

Alchemist, v3

 

The practice of alchemy is a central element of kagandi society; many practice this art in a less dedicated form. A true alchemist, however, recognizes that only through dedication and an inquisitive spirit will alchemy yield its highest mysteries. This class applies to those who pursue combat applications, rather than pure research or mercantile production. All of these paths rely on the Quintessence that is refined within the alchemist's humors and soul.

The combat applications of alchemy begin with the hurling of acids and poisons, healing of wounds, transformation of the body, and similar effects. Alchemical effects straddle the separation between what is natural and what is magical; it is the foundation of science and chemistry, but it also reaches past the bounds of the Possible into the Numinous.

While all alignment systems connected to class mechanics suck, if you really care about the Gygaxian nine-alignment model, alchemists defy stereotype: theirs is an ordered study that surrenders to the chaos of creation.

 

Creating an Alchemist

When you create an alchemist, you gain the following features.

 

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8

Hit Points at 1st level: 8 + Constitution modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier

 

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor, Medium armor

Weapons: Simple weapons

Tools: Alchemist's tools, Herbalist's Kit

 

Saving Throws: Constitution, Intelligence

Skills: Choose two from Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Nature, or Medicine

 

You can make an alchemist quickly by following these suggestions.

Background: Sage

Equipment: Studded leather, spear, formula book, adventurer’s kit, 64 gp, and 8 sp

 

Level	Prof Bonus	Features	Focus Effects	Unstable Brews	Unstable Brew Level	Refinements
1	+2	Alchemy, Stone of Refinement, Path of the Great Work	2	1	1st (Copper)	--
2	+2	Great Vigor (1d8), Refinements	2	2	1st	2
3	+2	Discovery	2	2	2nd (Silver)	2
4	+2	Ability Score Improvement	3	2	2nd	2
5	+3		3	2	3rd (Electrum)	3
6	+3	Path Feature	3	2	3rd	3
7	+3	Great Vigor (2d8)	3	2	4th (Gold)	4
8	+3	Ability Score Improvement	3	2	4th	4
9	+4		3	2	5th (Platinum)	5
10	+4	Path Feature	4	2	5th	5
11	+4	Exalted Essence (Earth)	4	3	5th	5
12	+4	Ability Score Improvement	4	3	5th	6
13	+5	Exalted Essence (Air), Great Vigor (3d8)	4	3	5th	6
14	+5	Path Feature	4	3	5th	6
15	+5	Exalted Essence (Water)	4	3	5th	7
16	+5	Ability Score Improvement	4	3	5th	7
17	+6	Exalted Essence (Fire)	4	4	5th	7
18	+6	Great Vigor (4d8)	4	4	5th	8
19	+6	Ability Score Improvement	4	4	5th	8
20	+6	Magnum Opus	4	4	5th	8

 

 

Alchemy

As a student in pursuit of the Magnum Opus, you have collected one or more tomes of alchemical formulas and wisdom, often lavishly decorated and with deep, complex allegory. This grants the ability to create and use stable alchemical formulations. To create a stable formulation, it must be no higher than the alchemist's Unstable Brew Level (up to alchemist level 10) or Higher Wisdom level (above alchemist level 10).

 

Additionally, the alchemist can correctly identify alchemical formulations and potions with an Intelligence check (proficiency bonus applies) against DC 10 (very rare formulations or new inventions increase the DC to 15).

 

The saving throw DCs for any alchemical effect you create is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier. Your spell attack modifier is your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier.

 

Formula Book

At the start of play, your formula book contains three 1st-level (Copper) formulas. Each time you gain an alchemist level, you may add two new formulas to your book of up to the highest refinement you know. Through trade, research, or conquest, you might find other formulas that you can add to your book during your adventures. Adding a new formula to your formula book otherwise follows all of the same rules as adding spells to a wizard's spellbook, and like a wizard's spellbook, an alchemist must possess a formula in order to make the stable or unstable formulation associated with that formula.

 

Unstable Brews

The Alchemist table shows how many Unstable Brew slots you have. The table also shows what the level of those slots is; all of your unstable brew slots are the same level. To use one of your brew formulas of 1st level or higher without having created a stable brew, you must expend an unstable brew slot. You regain all expended unstable brew slots when you finish a short or long rest.

You prepare a number of unstable brews from your formula book equal to your Intelligence bonus plus your alchemist level (minimum one formula).

 

Stone of Refinement

To undertake the refinement of the soul, the alchemist initiates a sympathetic link between her soul and a stone or orb made from copper. As the alchemist advances, she may replace this stone with a more refined and precious one, though stones of lower rank retain their usefulness. The most refined material that the alchemist may use is listed along with Unstable Brew Level.

 

The core function of Stones of Refinement is to interact with stable and unstable alchemical formulations in unusual ways. Additionally, all Stones of Refinement allow the alchemist to learn various Focus Effects.

 

Acid Gout: Drawing on the fulminating power of the alchemist's Quintessence, a gout of acid pours forth from the Stone. Make a spell attack against a creature within 25 feet. On a hit, the creature takes 1d10 acid damage. If the attack roll is a natural 1, the alchemist's power is nearly depleted, leaving her with enough strength for only one last attack: she gains the Depleted condition until she can take a short rest. Her one last attack deals 2d10 damage on a hit, however. Alternately, the alchemist can voluntarily take the Depleted condition before rolling, if she does not already have it; as before, she may make only one more Acid Gout or Acid Splash attack before taking a short rest, but on a hit that attack does 5 additional damage (hence 1d10+5).

The acid's damage increases by 1d10 when you hit a caster level of 5th (2d10), 11th (3d10), and 17th (4d10).

 

Acid Splash: As the cantrip; if used while Depleted, this cantrip deals 5 additional damage on a successful hit.

 

Fulminating Retribution: This attack works only against a creature that dealt damage to the alchemist by any means on its prior action. If that creature remains within 50 feet of the alchemist, the alchemist may spend an action to force it to make a Constitution saving throw. If it fails this saving throw, it takes 2d6 + the alchemist's Intelligence bonus acid damage. On a success, it takes no damage. The alchemist must use this action on her first turn following the taking of damage, or miss the opportunity (each new infliction of damage grants a new opportunity).

The acid's damage increases by 1d6 when you hit a caster level of 5th (3d6 + Int bonus), 11th (4d6 + Int bonus), and 17th (5d6 + Int bonus).

 

Light: As the cantrip

 

Mending: As the cantrip

 

Poison Spray: As the cantrip

 

Siphon of Humors: You drain the strength from a target's humors to inflict harm and, rarely, restore yourself. Choose one creature with 30 feet. That creature must succeed a saving throw or take 1d8 necrotic damage. If the creature rolls a 1 on its saving throw, you regain one expended Hit Die; if you have not expended any Hit Dice, you regain 5 hit points.

The necrotic damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).

 

Spare the Dying: As the cantrip

 

Path of the Great Work

The alchemist chooses one of several different approaches to the Great Work of alchemy: immortality and enlightenment. Three Paths are presented below: Blood Alchemy, which transforms the alchemist's body for war; Mystic Alchemy, which draws upon the connections between alchemy and wizardry; and Mad Alchemy, which embraces chaos in pursuit of sublime comprehension.

 

Great Vigor

Certain treatments endow the alchemist's blood with increased power to heal and restore. The alchemist gains a virtual Hit Die that can only be used to restore hit points - it does not add to the alchemist's maximum hit points. The alchemist gains additional virtual Hit Dice at 7th level, 13th level, and 18th level.

 

During a short rest, the alchemist can spend Hit Dice to heal other characters.

 

Refinements

As you refine your flesh, blood, breath, and soul, you change in many ways, approaching the threshold of divinity. At 2nd level, you gain two refinements of your choice. Your refinement options are listed below. As you gain alchemist levels, you gain additional refinements, as shown on the chart above.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of your refinements and replace it with another refinement that you could attain at that level.

 

Discovery

At third level, the alchemist makes a discovery that shapes the rest of the journey along the Path of the Great Work.

 

Alkahest, Universal Dissolution

Your acid and poison effects carry an uncommon potency. When you deal acid or poison damage to a creature, it suffers disadvantage on the next ability check or saving throw it makes before the end of your next turn.

 

Azoth, the Flame of Divinity

You possess a form of the inner fire that clerics and paladins wield in their Divine Strikes. You can channel it in different forms, and its power grows with yours. At 3rd level, once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d4 fire or psychic damage. When you reach 8th level, this increases to 1d8 fire or psychic damage. Alternately, you may choose to deal 1d6 thunder or radiant damage. At 14th level, these options increase to 2d8 fire or psychic, or 2d6 thunder or radiant.

 

Genesis of Life

You create a permanent sandestin, a servitor of clay and aether. It behaves in all ways like a familiar (from the find familiar spell), except that when you take the Attack action, you can command the sandestin to attack by foregoing one of your own attacks. If your sandestin falls to 0 hit points, it crumbles. You can create it anew with one hour of work and access to an alchemical laboratory. It has the following statistics:

 

Sandestin

Small construct, unaligned

Armor Class 12

Hit Points 13 (3d6+3)

Speed 25 ft

Str 12 Dex 10 Con 12 Int 8 Wis 12 Cha 8

Saving Throws Con +3

Skills Insight +3, Perception +3

Damage Immunities acid, poison

Condition Immunities poisoned

Senses passive Perception 13

Languages understands the languages of its creator

Challenge 1/8

Telepathic Bond. While the sandestin is on the same plane of existence as its master, it can magically convey what it senses to its master, and the two can communicate telepathically.

Actions:

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft, one creature. Hit: 1d4+1 bludgeoning damage.

 

Mutation

You can produce a mutation in yourself or another creature, granting one of the following bonuses:

• +1d4 to all ability checks of one physical ability score (Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution). At 8th level this bonus increases to +1d6, and at 14th level it increases to +1d8.
• A swim speed equal to its base movement speed
• A climb speed equal to its base movement speed
• Resistance to one of the following energy types: acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, or thunder
• Keen Scent: Advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks if scent is useful 

Producing the mutation requires one hour of uninterrupted work, and you must repeat this hour of work once per week. You can only sustain one mutation at a time; if you attempt to produce a mutation while another mutation is active, the second attempt fails. You can alter an active mutation during a short rest.

 

 

Ability Score Improvement

(per normal rules)

 

Exalted Essence: Earth

You learn a superior form of manipulating the element of Earth, which is connected to the melancholic humor. Choose one of the options below:

• Any effect you create or attack you make ignores damage resistance against acid.
• You can cast calm emotions as an action, without expending a spell slot or any material components. Once you cast the spell in this way, you may not do so again until you take a short or long rest.
• You can cast meld with stone or stone shape as an action, without expending a spell slot or any material components. Once you cast the spell in this way, you may not do so again until you take a long rest. 

 

Exalted Essence: Air

You learn a superior form of manipulating the element of Air, which is connected to the sanguine humor. Choose one of the options below:

• Your Stone of Refinement can absorb and store up to one dram of blood from any creature, by touching that blood. When you face that creature or another creature of the same specific kind, you can cast hold monster or dominate monster on that creature as an action, which expends and expels the blood stored in your Stone of Refinement. Absorbing blood from a creature or a pool of shed blood requires an action. A willing target may shed sufficient blood without suffering hit point damage. Once you use this ability, you may not use it again until you take a long rest. Otherwise, you may store a dram of collected blood indefinitely. This power does not work on creatures that do not have blood, though celestial and fiendish ichor are similar enough to blood to function.
• Your Stone of Refinement can absorb and store a number of drams of blood equal to your alchemist level, by touching that blood. You may cast dream upon those creatures, which does not expend the power of the blood absorbed into your Stone. Absorbing blood from a creature or a pool of shed blood requires an action. You may target one, some, or all creatures whose blood you possess with a single casting of dream, but once you cast dream in this way, you may not do so again until you have taken a long rest. 
• You can cast scrying as a ritual, spending the normal material components. Once you cast the spell in this way, you may not do so again until you take a long rest. 

 

Exalted Essence: Water

You learn a superior form of manipulating the element of Water, which is connected to the phlegmatic humor. Choose one of the options below:

• You can cast eyebite as an action, without expending a spell slot or any material components, though you may only choose the Asleep option. Once you cast the spell in this way, you may not do so again until you take a long rest.
• Your Stone of Refinement can absorb and store up to one dram of aberrant, celestial, or fiendish ichor, or fey blood, by touching that substance. You may create a sympathetic connection between yourself and the blood or ichor, in order to cast contact other plane, targeting a creature from the same plane, realm, or echo as the creature whose ichor or blood you absorbed, which expends and expels the ichor or blood stored in your Stone of Refinement. Absorbing ichor or blood from a creature or pool of the substance requires an action. A willing target may shed sufficient blood without suffering hit point damage. Once you use this ability, you may not use it again until you take a long rest.
• Any effect you create or attack you make ignores damage resistance against poison. When an effect or attack you make would inflict the poisoned condition on a failed saving throw, targets of that attack suffer disadvantage on their saving throws. 

 

Exalted Essence: Fire

You learn a superior form of manipulating the element of Fire, which is connected to the choleric humor. Choose one of the options below:

• Any effect you create or attack you make ignores damage resistance against fire. 
• You can exhale an incendiary cloud as an action, without expending a spell slot or any material components. Once you cast the spell in this way, you may not do so again until you take a long rest.
• You can cast true polymorph as an action, without expending a spell slot or any material components. Once you cast the spell in this way, you may not do so again until you take a long rest. 
• You can cast creation as an action, without expending a spell slot or any material components. Once you cast the spell in this way, you may not do so again until you take a short or long rest.
• You can cast resurrection as an action, without expending a spell slot. You must still pay material components as normal. Once you cast the spell in this way, you may not do so again until you take a long rest.

 

Magnum Opus

Having mastered the secrets of immortality and, at last, fashioned a Philosopher's Stone (typically from a fragment of a dead god, taken from the Astral Plane, and reinvigorated with new potential), the alchemist has finally completed the Great Work that first set her feet upon this path. The alchemist no longer suffers the effects of aging, cannot die from old age, and does not need food or water to survive (though she may still consume them for pleasure). Once per day, the alchemist may cast astral projection.

 

Paths of the Great Work

 

Blood Alchemy

Despite its name, blood alchemy draws on all of the humors to transform and exalt the alchemist and strike down his enemies. It is a path for those who want to improve their healing abilities, or those who want the power to dismember their foes in hand-to-hand combat. Blood alchemists are well-served to have a high Strength or Dexterity.

 

Blood Alchemy Features

Level	Feature
1	Blood formulas, Monstrous Claws
6	Improved Natural Healing, Bloodshard
10	Wounding Touch
14	Master of Blood and Flesh

 

Blood Formulas

The alchemist gains the ability to use and create formulas with the Blood keyword, thanks to the refinements she has worked upon her own hearts-blood.

 

Monstrous Claws

The alchemist gains retractable claws, light unarmed weapons that deal 1d6 piercing damage. The alchemist may not be holding anything other than her Stone of Refinement or bloodshards to use these claws.

 

Bloodshard

The alchemist's blood can itself be a deadly weapon. Once per short rest, after the alchemist takes damage, he may spend Hit Dice to recover hit points as an action, regaining the normal number of hit points. For every Hit Die expended in this way, the alchemist also gains one bloodshard, a light thrown weapon (range 30/120) that deals 3d6 + Dexterity modifier damage.

 

Improved Natural Healing

The alchemist may spend an action to heal other characters. She may spend one of her Hit Dice to heal an adjacent character an amount equal to the alchemist's Hit Die roll + the alchemist's Constitution modifier. This does not generate a bloodshard.

 

Wounding Touch

Once per turn when you deal damage with a weapon (including bloodshards) or unarmed attack, you deal an extra 1d8 damage of the same type dealt by the weapon. When you reach 16th level, the extra damage increases to 2d8. 

 

Master of Blood and Flesh

Whenever the alchemist succeeds a saving throw against a disease, poison, or curse, her next Acid Splash, Fulminating Retribution, or attack with claws or bloodshards deals an additional 3d10 points of damage.

 

Clay Alchemy

The gods once exalted clay to create living creatures. The new life that you create with alchemy may be short-lived, but it is potent nonetheless. This path relies on transforming earth and stone into short-lived, lesser golems, without all of the complicated work of binding an elemental within them. Fortunately, their span is too brief for them to run mad and turn against their creators... usually...

 

Level	Feature
1	Clay formulas, By My Hand
6	Maker's Mark
10	Image of the Maker
14	Orichalcum Statuary

 

Clay Formulas

The alchemist gains the ability to make and use formulas with the Clay keyword.

 

By My Hand

The alchemist's clay servants, often called sandestins, may act as conduits for the alchemist's touch-range effects, or as origin points for effects that would be centered on the alchemist. The alchemist may use Fulminating Retribution against creatures that harm the clay servants.

 

Maker's Mark

The alchemist's clay servants gain immunity to damaging area-effect formulations used by the alchemist. The alchemist can command them to "turn off" this immunity if desired.

 

Image of the Maker

The alchemist's clay servants gain a closer physical resemblance to her, and gain the alchemist's proficiency bonus to attack rolls, ability checks, saving throws, and Armor Class.

 

Orichalcum Statuary

The alchemist's clay servants are infused with the orichalcum of the alchemist's Stone of Refinement, granting them greater vigor and durability. They gain an additional 20 hit points, and last for two rounds past the end of the alchemist's concentration. When a clay servant is destroyed, the alchemist immediately gains 20 temporary hit points. 

 

Mad Alchemy

Many have suggested that all alchemists are mad, and live for the thrill of an exploding laboratory or a mixture gone horribly awry. This is not true, insist those who accept the title of "Mad Alchemists;" they defend their sole claim to that description. Mad alchemy embraces the chaos of the laboratory to reveal new insights.

 

 

Level	Feature
1	Mad formulas, Fulminating Torment
6	The Only Constant is Change
10	Changing Soul
14	Master of the Unknown

 

Mad Formulas

The alchemist gains the ability to make and use formulas with the Mad keyword. It's... an interesting life decision, at least. The alchemist may further roll twice when resolving Volatility in making stable formulas.

 

Fulminating Torment

Any creature that takes damage from the alchemist's Fulminating Retribution takes an additional 2d6 damage (which may be acid, fire, lightning, or psychic, at the alchemist's choice) at the end of its next turn.

 

The Only Constant is Change

When you use any stable or unstable brew (but not a focus effect), you may choose to render it still more volatile: risky, but often rewarding. Roll on the table below.

 

d100 roll	Effect	d100 roll	Effect
01-03		52-54
04-06		55-57
07-09		58-60
10-12		61-63
13-15		64-66
16-18		67-69
19-21		70-72
22-24		73-75
25-27		76-78
28-30		79-81
31-33		82-84
34-36		85-87
37-39		89-91
40-42		92-94
43-45		95-97
46-48		98-99
49-51		100

 

 

 

 

Changing Soul

The alchemist's soul has become as pliable as any base matter. Where useful, the alchemist may declare himself to be a creature of another type for the purposes of satisfying prerequisites or avoiding penalties, though he may not declare himself to be a specific individual. The alchemist may do this as a free action up to once per round.

Further, whenever the alchemist takes damage from a non-weapon energy type, she may spend her reaction to make an Intelligence saving throw against DC 15 the next time she is affected by the same damage type before the end of her next turn. On a failure, she takes normal damage; on a success, she ignores this damage.

 

Master of the Unknown

The alchemist gains resistance to necrotic, radiant, and psychic damage, as her soul transcends the shackles of good, evil, and indeed all rationality.

 

Mystic Alchemy

Much as a wizard specialized in transmutation learns some of the alchemical mysteries, a mystic alchemist gains a modest understanding of arcane magic, particularly in the schools of transmutation and necromancy. You can learn any number of spells by copying them into your formula book, but your capacity to prepare spells is limited.

 

Arcane Study

At 1st level, you gain proficiency in Arcana and learn two cantrips of your choice from the wizard spell list.

 

Spellcasting

At 6th level, your access to magic expands, according to the chart below. Spells from the schools of transmutation or necromancy must always constitute 75% of your spells prepared. To copy spells into your spellbook, for each level of the spell, you must spend 50 gp and 2 hours. The cost in time and money is doubled for spells outside the schools of transmutation or necromancy. Each time you gain an alchemist level, you learn one spell from the school of transmutation or the school of necromancy.

 

Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your wizard spells.

 

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

 

Alchemist Level	Cantrips Known	Spells Prepared	1st	2nd	3rd	4th
6	2	4	3
7	2	5	4	2
8	2	6	4	2
9	2	6	4	2
10	3	7	4	3
11	3	8	4	3
12	3	8	4	3
13	3	9	4	3	2
14	3	10	4	3	2
15	3	10	4	3	2
16	3	11	4	3	3
17	3	11	4	3	3
18	3	11	4	3	3
19	3	12	4	3	3	1
20	3	13	4	3	3	1

 

Upgrade

Starting at 6th level, you can cast enhance ability without expending a spell slot or any components. Once you cast the spell in this way, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

 

Reactive Transmutation

At 10th level, whenever you or an ally within 30 feet are hit by an attack that has an effect in addition to damage (such as poison on a weapon or a wolf's ability to knock a target prone on a hit), you can spend your reaction to negate the secondary effect - transmuting the poison to something harmless, momentarily changing the target's form to resist being knocked down, or the like. You may only aid one target in this way, even if the attack affects multiple targets. You may only use this ability in reaction to a successful attack roll or spell attack roll.

 

Transmuting Curse

At 14th level, you can impose a powerful curse upon an enemy, called the Transmuting Curse. You can cast this curse in one of two ways: as a spell in combat, against which the target receives a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, roll a d6 on the table below to determine the effect. Alternately, you can impose the Transmuting Curse as a ritual upon a helpless target, in which case the target receives no saving throw. Roll twice on the table below, rerolling one die in the case of duplicate effects; the target suffers both results.

 

d6 result	Effect
1	Disadvantage on ability checks and saving throws using Str, Dex, or Con
2	Disadvantage on ability checks and saving throws using Int, Wis, or Cha
3	Disadvantage on all attack rolls, and all saving throws that the target forces are made with advantage
4	While cursed, the target must make a Constitution saving throw at the beginning of each day. On a failure, the target suffers one level of exhaustion.
5	While cursed, the target suffers an additional 2d12 necrotic damage the first time it takes damage after each of its turns.
6	The next person to touch the target must roll a Constitution saving throw or fall victim to the curse as well. As soon as this happens, roll for a new curse effect on both targets.

 

The Transmuting Curse is exceptionally difficult to remove, as the appropriate solution repeatedly changes. To determine the effect that will end the Transmuting Curse, roll on the table below at the time that a character attempts any effect to cure the curse. If the d6 result does not match the effect used, the curse is not cured, and the effect of the curse changes (reroll all effect dice on the table above). A heal effect ends the Transmuting Curse completely, without a die roll.

 

d6 result	Effect
1	Counterspell
2	Remove Curse
3	Lesser Restoration
4	Dispel Magic
5	Polymorph
6	Greater Restoration

 

Once you impose the Transmuting Curse on a target, you may not use it again until you take a long rest.

 

 

Refinements

You must meet any prerequisites of Refinements you select.

 

Adamant Soul

Your weapon strikes and unarmed attacks are treated as adamantine for purposes of bypassing damage resistance and damage immunity. Once per long rest, you may spend a reaction to negate all damage from any bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing attack.

 

Aetheric Speed

Prerequisite: 7th level

You can cast haste on yourself once per long rest, without using an unstable brew slot or any material components.

 

Controlled Humors

Thanks to careful refinement of the alchemist's blood, black bile, yellow bile, and phlegm, you become remarkably resilient to toxins. You gain resistance to poison damage and advantage on saving throws against poison.

 

Corrosive Compounds

Prerequisite: Alkahest

You may add 1d6 acid damage to a focus effect, stable brew, or unstable brew that you activate. You may use this ability a number of times equal to your Constitution bonus per long rest.

 

Diamond Flesh

Prerequisite: 15th level

Once per long rest, you may cast stoneskin on yourself without expending an unstable brew slot, and paying only 50 gp worth of diamond dust.

 

Enlightened Speech

You understand every spoken language. Any creature that can understand a language can understand what you say.

 

Ennobled Sinews

You gain proficiency in the Athletics and Acrobatics skills.

 

Greater Sandestin

Prerequisite: Creation, 5th level

Your sandestin has developed Intelligence equal to your own, and gains proficiency in one Intelligence-based skill you are not proficient in. You may direct your sandestin to offer its knowledge and advice on this topic. When it rolls ability checks using that skill, it adds your proficiency bonus to the roll.

 

Improved Retribution

The alchemist's Fulminating Retribution now targets up to two creatures that dealt damage to the alchemist on their prior actions. 

 

Interdisciplinary Student

Prerequisite: 12th level

You may gain a single Path feature of a Path other than your own. That feature must be granted at 3rd or 6th level in its native Path.

 

Ironwright's Soul

Your weapon strikes and unarmed attacks are treated as cold iron for purposes of bypassing damage resistance and damage immunity. Once per short rest, you may spend a reaction to halve the damage from any piercing, slashing, or bludgeoning attack that is not magical or adamantine.

 

Law of Sympathy

Pre-requisite: 9th level

Using his Stone of Refinement and the corresponding stones that he has given to his allies, the alchemist may count himself as an additional "free" target for one of the following types of formulations, when using them on an ally.

• Healing
• Purgative
• Enhancement
• Morphic

Special: You may purchase this Refinement multiple times. Each time you choose it, select one additional brew type from the list.

 

Lightning Speed

Prerequisite: Azoth, 5th level

You can attack twice, rather than once, when you take the Attack action.

 

Lore of Plague and Poison

You can cast detect poison and disease at will, without expending an unstable brew slot or material components.

 

Master of Elements

Prerequisites: 9th level

You can cast conjure elemental once using an unstable brew slot. You can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

 

Metal Skin

You can cast barkskin on yourself at aill, without expending a spell slot or material components.

 

Moon-bound Soul

Your weapon strikes and unarmed attacks are treated as silver for purposes of bypassing damage resistance and damage immunity. You have advantage on any saving throw to resist contracting lycanthropy.

 

Peculiar Enhancements

Prerequisite: Mutation, 10th level

When you grant yourself or another creature a mutation, you may choose from the following additional options:

• Darkvision, 60 ft
• Blindsight, 15 ft
• One natural weapon (claw, horns, or bite), a Light weapon dealing 1d6 damage, and granting a +1 bonus to attack and damage.
• A pre-existing natural weapon deals an additional 1d6 poison damage, deals magical damage for purposes of damage resistance and immunity, and gains a +1 bonus to attack and damage. 

 

Potent Siphon of Humors

When you use the focus effect Siphon of Humors, you recover a Hit Die when the saving throw result is a natural 1, 2, or 3.

 

Refined Soul

Prerequisite: 12th level

The alchemist's soul has become as refined as diamond; she gains advantage on all saving throws against necromantic or infernal magic. (If there is some question as to whether a spell is "infernal," DMs are advised to rule in the alchemist's favor.)

 

Transmutation of the Waters

Prerequisite: 7th level

You can cast water breathing on yourself once per long rest, without expending an unstable brew slot or any components. 

 

True Physick

Pre-requisite: 5th level, proficiency in Medicine

As an action, choose an ally who is suffering from a disease or the poisoned condition. Spend a Hit Die and roll a Medicine check. If the result meets or exceeds the saving throw DC of the cause of the disease or poison, the target is cured. If the target suffers from more than one disease or poison, you must choose which one you are attempting to cure before rolling.

 

Volatile Power

Pre-requisite: Acid Gout or Acid Splash focus effects

When you use Acid Gout or Acid Splash, add your Intelligence modifier to the damage it deals on a hit.

 

 

 

Seeker, v3 (Outlander)

 

Her starlock musket's report is followed by a surge of dark power. It's the first, and last, thing that her target hears of her. In the silence that follows, she utters three syllables that could shatter the wits of any listener, and her target's ribs and spinal cord rise from the flesh as a winged horror.

 

 

A seeker is a warrior who has developed a mystical connection with bows, starlock weapons, or other ranged weapons. Most seekers are drifters, either righting wrongs, creating havoc, or both wherever their travels take them. They tend to remain lightly armored, and they place their greatest trust in their preferred weapons. Some develop an aura of danger and mystique; others, of barely-suppressed insanity. They are, in short, mad, bad, and dangerous to know.

While all alignment systems connected to class mechanics suck, if you really care about the Gygaxian nine-alignment model, most seekers are some variety of chaotic, but these generalizations are stupid anyway.

 

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Shadow Power	Features
1st	+2	--	Unarmored Defense, Marksmanship
2nd	+2	2	Adept Path, Shadow Power, Knowledge of the Nightmare
3rd	+2	3	Twisting of Space, The Lonely Road
4th	+2	4	Ability Score Improvement
5th	+3	5	Extra Attack, Torment
6th	+3	6	Adept Path Feature
7th	+3	7	Harbinger
8th	+3	8	Ability Score Improvement
9th	+4	9	Additional Favored Environment
10th	+4	10	Unbound
11th	+4	11	Adept Path Feature, Improved Eldritch Strike
12th	+4	12	Ability Score Improvement
13th	+5	13	Additional Favored Environment
14th	+5	14	On Psychic Tides
15th	+5	15	Pierce the Veil of Mystery
16th	+5	16	Ability Score Improvement
17th	+6	17	Adept Path Feature
18th	+6	18	Deadly Shot
19th	+6	19	Ability Score Improvement
20th	+6	20	Journey's End

 

Renaming scheme: Arcane Gifts become Shadow Power. Shadow Power becomes Eldritch Strike.

 

 

Class Features

As a seeker, you gain the following class features.

 

HIT POINTS

Hit Points: 1d8 per Seeker level

Hit Points at 1st level: 8 + your Constitution modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per seeker level after 1st

 

PROFICIENCIES

Armor: Light armor (see also Unarmored Defense, below)

Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons, starlock weapons

Tools: Choose one gaming set

 

Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence

Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Insight, Perception, Religion, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Survival

 

EQUIPMENT

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) one ranged weapon and a quiver or satchel of ammunition or (b) 5 thrown weapons
• (a) two daggers or (b) one simple weapon
• (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
• (a) leather armor or (b) one gaming set

 

Marksmanship

Seekers favor missile weapons of all kinds: thrown weapons, bows, crossbows, slings, and starlock weapons, gaining different advantages with each weapon category. Seekers can never gain more than one of the benefits below in a round; if wielding missile weapons of multiple types in a round, the seeker must choose one benefit to apply.

• Thrown: When wielding only thrown weapons, the seeker may spend a bonus action to make an additional attack. This attack adds her Dexterity bonus to damage as usual.
• Slings: When wielding a sling, the seeker may spend a bonus action to make an additional attack. This attack adds her Dexterity bonus to damage as usual.
• Bows: When wielding a bow, the seeker gains a +2 attack bonus.
• Crossbows: When wielding a crossbow, the seeker gains a +2 attack bonus, and attacks that receive Eldritch Strike also add his Intelligence bonus to the damage dealt. Furthermore, if the seeker has a crossbow in hand and loaded when he rolls initiative, he may spend his reaction to fire a snap shot. This attack resolves before the first initiative position, simultaneously with any other snap shots. A snap shot has disadvantage, does not apply ability score bonuses to damage, and cannot receive Eldritch Strike (see below). 
• Starlock Weapons: When wielding a starlock weapon, the seeker adds her Intelligence bonus to attacks with Eldritch Strike, If the seeker has a starlock weapon in hand and loaded when she rolls initiative, she may spend her reaction to fire a snap shot. This attack resolves before the first initiative position, simultaneously with any other snap shots. A snap shot has disadvantage, does not apply ability score bonuses to damage, and cannot receive Eldritch Strike.

 

Unarmored Defense

When you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Intelligence modifier.

 

Shadow Power

At 2nd level, your Outlander Path grants you Shadow Power. These Gifts sometimes resemble true spellcasting, but they are not bound by the same rules, and can be used to perform various feats of power. When you first receive Shadow Power, you learn the Eldritch Strike feature. You learn more ways to use your Shadow Power as you advance as a seeker, and as you progress along your Path. You replenish all Shadow Power when you take a short rest or a long rest.

• Eldritch Strike: Following any successful weapon attack, you may spend 1 Shadow Power to deal 1d8 additional damage, of the same type as the weapon. If this was a ranged attack with a crossbow or starlock weapon, you also add your Intelligence bonus to the damage dealt. 

 

Adept Path

At 2nd level, you set your feet upon a path of mystery and terror. There are as many kinds of seekers as there are nations of the world. Maybe more. These are a few of them. Save DC is based on Intelligence. Many Adept Path abilities are powered by your Shadow Power.

• Death - The Adept Path of Bone and Shroud: Seekers on the Path of Bone and Shroud learn to bind necrotic power to their arrows or bullets, and ward themselves from harm with the stillness of the grave. It is a defense and support path. 
• The Fey - The Adept Path of Mask and Mirror: Seekers on the Path of Mask and Mirror learn some of the tricks of fey-pact warlocks and imitate the powers of the fey themselves. It is a balanced path of offense and utility.
• The Infernal - The Adept Path of Flame and Blood: Seekers on the Path of Flame and Blood have learned some of the lore of Hell, and bind some of its malevolent power into their arrows or bullets. It is primarily focused on dealing damage.
• The Stars Are Right - The Adept Path of the World's Ending: Seekers on the Path of the World's Ending derive their arcane power from that which lies beyond both planets and constellations. It is primarily focused on dealing damage. 

 

Knowledge of the Nightmare

Starting at 2nd level, seekers are hardened against nightmarish things, and gain advantage on all saving throws against the frightened condition. Additionally, the seeker may expend an Shadow Power to gain a bonus of 1d6 on any skill check that pertains to knowledge of forbidden lore.

 

Twisting of Space

Starting at 3rd level, you can use your reaction to ward away attacks by bending the laws of the real. When you are hit by a ranged weapon attack, you may spend your reaction to reduce the damage by 1d6 + your Intelligence modifier. If you spend 1 Shadow Power, this value increases by 1d6. When you are hit by a melee weapon attack or a spell attack, you may spend 2 Shadow Power and your reaction to reduce the damage by 1d6 + your Intelligence modifier.

 

The Lonely Road

Starting at 3rd level, choose one of the following environments: urban, rural, underground, Inner Planes, Outer Planes. When you make an Intelligence or Wisdom check related to this favored environment, your proficiency bonus is doubled if you are using a skill in which you are proficient (which may also increase passive Perception and passive Insight). You choose additional favored environments at 9th and 13th levels.

While in your favored environment, you gain the following benefits:

• You can spend an action to detect the presence of aberrations, celestials, elementals, fey, fiends, or undead within 30 feet. This ability can be stopped by 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or three feet of wood or dirt.
• Spend 1 Shadow Power to gain advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks for one minute.
• When making saving throws against environmental effects, you always apply your proficiency bonus to the roll. If you are already proficient in the relevant saving throw, you gain advantage instead. 

 

Extra Attack

Starting at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. If you are using a weapon with the Loading quality and you do not ignore the Loading quality with a feat or other ability, your attacks with that weapon deal additional damage equal to 1d8 + your Intelligence bonus. (This is an Eldritch Strike benefit, but you may still spend 1 Shadow Power to increase the damage further.)

 

Torment

Starting at 5th level, you can impart further psychic resonance to your attacks. When you hit another creature with a weapon attack or spell attack, you can spend 1 Shadow Power to Torment them further. The target must succeed a Wisdom saving throw or become restrained and frightened until the end of its next turn.

 

Harbinger

When you travel among the sentient creatures of the world, you can become the harbinger of ill tidings: unspoken, yet known. When you establish peaceful contact with powerful and inhuman creatures, you can secretly replenish or fortify your mystic reserves.

• As part of any conversation with a sentient beast, giant, or humanoid, who does not have levels of the Seeker or Warlock classes, lasting 1 minute or more (even if your allies speak and you are silent), you may spend 2 Shadow Power and make an Intelligence (Arcana or Religion) check as a contested roll against the target's Wisdom (Insight), or Sanity, if Sanity rules are in use. If you succeed, you inspire dread appropriate to your Adept Path. The effects of this are difficult to predict, but the victim does not know what caused this dread, unless you wish it. If you lose the contested roll by 5 or more, the target learns that you were attempting to unsettle them. Once you use this ability, you must complete a short or long rest before you can use it again.
• As part of any conversation with an aberration, celestial, dragon, elemental, fey, fiend, or undead normal to that environment of 1 minute or more (even if your allies speak and you are silent), you may risk 2 Shadow Power and make an Intelligence (Arcana or Religion) check as a contested roll against the target's Wisdom saving throw. If you succeed, you harvest a small amount of the arcane power found in such supernatural creatures, gaining 3 Shadow Power (up to your normal maximum +3). If you lose the contested roll, you gain nothing; if you lose the roll by 5 or more, you lose the 2 Shadow Power you risked. Once you use this ability, you must complete a short or long rest before you can use it again. 

 

Dread

(sidebar)

A sense of Dread takes many forms and results in unpredictable behavior. Seekers on the Adept Path of the World's Ending cause cosmic, existential Dread, while seekers on the Adept Path of Flame and Blood or Bone and Shroud cause spiritual disquiet. Seekers on the Adept Path of Mask and Mirror cause something more like a desire to escape the mortal world and a hunger for the glamour of the Feywild.

 

A character suffering from Dread might respond in any of the following ways; the DM should choose as appropriate to the situation. Dread can sometimes be bad for the seeker who caused it or the seeker's allies, but this should be rare. Some effects are mechanical and some are not. Characters suffering from Dread receive new saving throws against the effect after each full month, or after another character spends an extended time (1-3 days) counseling and comforting them.

• Suffer disadvantage on saving throws against the frightened condition
• Suffer sleeplessness, losing all benefits of a long rest
• New Flaw: Reject (or take no pleasure in) all food that does not come from the Feywild
• New Flaw: Seek the perfection of beauty at all costs, eventually discarding each example as imperfect 
• Contagiously spread Dread to friends and loved ones, one person per day; after doing this 1d6+1 times, the Dread ends
• Cancel 1d6 instances of Inspiration, after which Dread ends 
• New Flaw: Gibber madly in the corner whenever exposed to something connected to the seeker's Adept Path 
• New Flaw: Develop a desire to taste the flesh of one's own kind
• If Sanity and Madness rules are in use, any Madness in the DMG is appropriate
• New Flaw: Take up self-flagellation to expunge real or imagined sins 

 

 

Unbound

Starting at 10th level, you can spend your action to end one effect on yourself that is causing you to be paralyzed or restrained. You gain advantage when rolling a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to evade a shove or grapple.

 

Improved Eldritch Strike

Starting at 11th level, your attacks are instilled with eldritch power. All of your weapon attacks gain the benefit of Eldritch Strike. You may still spend 1 Shadow Power to add Eldritch Strike a second time (and declare this expenditure after determining whether the attack hit or missed). If you make a ranged attack with a crossbow or starlock weapon and add Eldritch Strike a second time, you add twice your Intelligence bonus to the damage dealt.

 

On Psychic Tides

Starting at 14th level, you have experienced psychic journeys and scars that few could comprehend, as you veer between enlightenment and damnation. You gain resistance against psychic damage. When you take psychic damage, you may forego your resistance, and inflict that damage back on its source and a secondary target of your choice. This choice does not cost an action or reaction. If you have resistance or immunity to psychic damage from another source, you must decline to benefit from it in order to reflect damage upon your attackers. The reflected damage cannot be reduced by resistance to psychic damage, though it does not affect those who are immune to psychic damage.

 

Pierce the Veil of Mystery

Starting at 15th level, you can perform divinatory rites that should have remained lost or forbidden. You can cast contact other plane, but only in its ritual form.

 

Deadly Shot

Starting at 18th level, when you roll damage as the result of any attack roll (including spells), you may choose one die that rolls its maximum value, reroll the die, and add the result to the damage total. You may not use this ability more than once per turn.

 

Journey's End

At 20th level, when you roll initiative and have no Shadow Power remaining, you regain 1d6+1 Shadow Power.

 

Adept Paths

 

Boilerplate text on spending Shadow Power to cast spells as if with higher slots.

 

Adept Path of Bone and Shroud

 

Shadow Hunger

Starting when you choose this Path at 2nd level, when you make an attack for which you spent Shadow Power that kills a creature, you regain hit points equal to your Intelligence modifier. You may not gain hit points in this way more than once per turn. You don't gain this benefit when killing constructs or undead.

 

Curse of the Grave

Starting at 6th level, when you hit an opponent with an attack, you may spend 2 Shadow Power as a bonus action to force the target to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it is weakened, such that it suffers disadvantage on Strength checks and saving throws, and when it rolls damage, it rolls one extra die of the same type and discards the highest result. If there are different die sizes in the damage total (for example, a d6 and a d8), add an extra die of the smallest type. It can make a new Constitution saving throw each round at the end of its turn; on a success, this effect ends. Otherwise the effect lasts for one minute, and requires your Concentration.

 

Shadewalker

Starting at 11th level, you can take on some of the abilities of undead shadows. Spend 3 Shadow Power; for the next hour, while standing in dim light or darkness, you may Hide as a bonus action. For the next hour after using this ability, you gain sunlight weakness: while in sunlight, you have disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws.

 

On Raven's Wings

Starting at 17th level, you can transform into a single raven, or a whole flock of ravens. Once you use this ability in any form, you may not do so again until you complete a short or long rest.

• As an action, spend 2 Shadow Power to become a single raven (per the druid shapeshifting rules).
• As an action, spend 4 Shadow Power to become a greater swarm of ravens, using the statistics below (rather than the Monster Manual swarm of ravens).
• As a reaction, spend 6 Shadow Power to reduce the damage from any one source to 0 and become a greater swarm of ravens, using the statistics below.  

 

Greater Swarm of Ravens 

Medium swarm of Tiny beasts, unaligned

Armor Class 14

Hit Points 77 (14d8 + 14)

Speed 10 ft., fly 50 ft.

Str 8 (-1) Dex 18 (+4) Con 12 (+1) Int 3 (-4)* Wis 12 (+1)* Cha 6 (-2)*

Skills Perception +6

Damage Resistances bludgeoning, necrotic, piercing, slashing

Damage Vulnerabilities radiant

Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned

Senses passive Perception 16

Languages --

Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

 

Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature's space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny raven. The swarm can't regain hit points or gain temporary hit points. However, a seeker shapeshifted into a greater swarm of ravens can regain hit points or gain temporary hit points normally.

 

Psychopomp. When any creature of CR 1/8 or higher dies or rolls a death saving throw within 120 feet of the greater swarm of ravens, the swarm regains 2d10 hit points. If the swarm is at full health, it gains 2d10 temporary hit points instead.

 

Actions

Beaks. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target in the swarm's space. Hit: 36 (8d6 + 8) piercing damage, or half damage (4d6 + 4) if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer.

 

Eye Gouge. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target in the swarm's space. Hit: 27 (6d6 + 6) piercing damage, or half damage (3d6 + 3) if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer. The target must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 15, or DC 12 if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer) or be blinded until it receives a lesser restoration or greater magical healing, a successful Medicine check against DC 15, or takes a long rest.

 

Adept Path of Mask and Mirror

 

Dart of the Poison-Fey

Starting when you choose this Path at 2nd level, you may spend 2 Shadow Power to cast ray of sickness in place of an attack, and you may apply your Dexterity bonus and any magical bonus from a ranged weapon you wield to attack and damage for this spell.

 

Passage of the Hidden World 

Starting at 6th level, you can spend 3 Shadow Power to cast misty step.

 

The Seventh Veil

Starting at 11th level, you can spend 4 Shadow Power to cast nondetection. Furthermore, you may spend 3 Shadow Power to cast invisibility, but only on yourself.

 

Call to the Wild Hunt

Starting at 17th level, you can attempt to persuade the Wild Hunt to destroy an enemy. This ability requires the use of a hunting horn, though you do not need to be proficient in its use. As an action, choose an enemy within 60 feet, spend 6 Shadow Power, and sound the hunting horn (this ability does not work while you are silenced). The Call to the Wild Hunt requires Concentration. The target must roll a Charisma saving throw. On a success, this effect ends and you regain 3 of the Shadow Power you expended on this ability. On a failure, the target is frightened.

A creature frightened by this spell must make another Charisma saving throw at the end of each of its turns. If it successfully saves against this effect three times, it has averted the attention of the Wild Hunt, and this effect ends. Each time it fails a saving throw, it takes 4d6 psychic damage, and if it fails three times, it is banished to the Hidden World of the Fey, where the Wild Hunt divests it of much of its power and hunts it as prey. Death is inevitable, as the creature loses any ability to plane shift away from the Hidden World for a year and a day. When this ability is used within the Hidden World, the target is instead banished to a pocket dimension. Once you use this power, you may not do so again until you complete a short or long rest.

 

Adept Path of Flame and Blood

Seekers on the Adept Path of Flame and Blood have the powers of Hell at their command. Some of them share in Hell's mission to scourge the wicked for their sins, while others revel in the catastrophic powers that Hell grants.

 

Hellfire Shot

Starting when you choose this Path at 2nd level, you may turn all damage you deal with ranged weapons into fire damage when you spend an Shadow Power for Eldritch Strike. If you spend an additional Shadow Power, your target catches fire and takes 1d4 damage at the start of each of its turns. A creature (the target or an adjacent ally) can end this damage by using its action to make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC.

 

Dread Scourging

Starting at 6th level, you may attempt to render a creature vulnerable to attack by conjuring Hell's scourge. As an action, you spend 3 Shadow Power and force a creature within 60 feet to roll a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, deal 3d6 piercing damage and choose one of the following:

• One damage immunity becomes damage resistance
• Negate one damage resistance
• The creature becomes vulnerable to one damage type that it is neither resistant nor immune to 
• One condition immunity becomes advantage on saving throws instead 
• Negate magic resistance

The scourging effect lasts for one minute or until the target receives a remove curse. On a success, the creature takes 3d6 piercing damage, but no further effect. Repeated uses of Dread Scourging against a creature stack; with three uses an immunity can become a vulnerability, or the creature can become vulnerable to three damage types against which it was previously not resistant or immune, and so on.

 

Flesh Rune

Starting at 11th level, you can carve a rune of Hell into your flesh to grant you a measure of protection. You may work these runes only upon yourself, and each one you inscribe reduces your current and maximum hit points by 5. If your maximum hit points cannot decrease as the result of some ability or effect, you cannot benefit from a flesh rune. Your hit point maximum returns to normal when you end the rune's power with a bonus action, or when they are dispelled. Treat flesh runes as 3rd-level spells. Each rune takes one action and an edged weapon to inscribe. 

• Devil's Sight (neither magical nor nonmagical darkness impede your vision) 
• Resistance to acid 
• Resistance to cold
• Resistance to fire 
• Resistance to lightning
• Resistance to poison 
• Resistance to thunder

 

Diabolic Justice

Starting at 17th level, you curse your target to suffer for the evils that it does. As an action, spend 6 Shadow Power and choose a creature within 60 feet of you. Once per round when it deals damage, you can force it to roll a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed saving throw, the creature suffers piercing damage equal to half of the damage it dealt, as wounds appear on its body. On a success, it suffers no damage. If it deals damage to more than one creature with a single spell or attack, such as an area-effect spell, the damage it suffers in return on a failed saving throw is based on the most-damaged single creature affected. This effect lasts for one hour or until the creature receives a remove curse. Once you use this power, you may not do so again until you complete a short or long rest.

 

Adept Path of the World's Ending

Seekers on the Adept Path of the World's Ending are able to induce madness in their foes and tear at the psychic realities that make the world endurable, but at times they can be a danger to allies as well as enemies.

 

Unbearable Insight

Starting when you choose this Path at 2nd level, you've seen and heard things that mortals were not meant to know. Speaking aloud, you utter a small part of one of these mysteries, expending 2 Shadow Power to cast arms of Hadar.

 

Psychic Spore

Starting at 6th level, following any successful attack or spell attack that you make, you may spend 3 Shadow Power to choose one creature that received damage from the attack to receive a psychic spore. On any later turn, you can spend a bonus action to cause the spore to burst, forcing the target to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the target takes 1d6 damage per round since you implanted the psychic spore, to a maximum of 10d6. On a success, they suffer half damage. This ends the spore effect. Once placed, a spore can remain for up to one year if not activated; it may also be removed by a lesser restoration or greater magic. You cannot activate the spore while the creature has protection from evil and good or a magic circle guarding them.

 

Darkness Between the Stars

At 11th level, you can summon the hungering dark that broods outside the world, expending 4 Shadow Power to cast hunger of Hadar.

 

In Strange Aeons

Starting at 17th level, you can invoke such unnameable powers from beyond as to banish Death itself. When you invoke this ability as an action and expend 6 Shadow Power, creatures within 120 feet are unable to die through any means; they remain conscious even below 1 hit point. Each time a creature in the area falls below 1 hit point or takes damage while at 0 hit points, every creature in the area except seekers of the World's Ending and warlocks of the Great Old Ones must roll a Wisdom saving throw (or Sanity, if Sanity rules are in use). On a failure, the creature takes 5d6 psychic damage, plus 2d6 psychic damage for each saving throw it has failed against this effect. On a success, it takes no damage. Creatures allied with you have resistance against this damage. You may end this effect at any time, at which point all creatures at 0 hit points fall unconscious. Otherwise, this effect ends when you take a short or long rest, or fall unconscious (from a sleep spell, for example). Creatures that failed saving throws against this effect while at 0 hit points have that number of failed death saving throws. You must complete a long rest before using this ability again.

 

Change Log

1. Changed Arcane Gifts to Shadow Power, and changed what was formerly Shadow Power to Eldritch Strike.
2. Added a duration to In Strange Aeons
3. Added a sidebar stub for the Dread effect
4. Removed the requirement of Eldritch Strike on Shadow Hunger - now any kill that included an expenditure of Shadow Power earns hit points.
5. Got rid of some outdated references to "Outlander Traditions" - should be "Adept Paths"
6. Added Improved Eldritch Strike - this was always intended to be there, and class's damage math (and especially the Marksmanship ability) is built around its presence. It's weird designing a class that has to be equally viable making one, two, or three attacks per round.
7. Removed The Lonely Road's +5 boost to passive Perception/passive Insight, but noted that doubling proficiency increases passive values.
8. Changed the wording of On Psychic Tides to improve clarity
9. Clarified handling for Curse of the Grave when there are dice of different sizes in a damage roll.
10. Clarified the use of the hunting horn in Call to the Wild Hunt.
11. The saving throw to extinguish the flame of Hellfire Shot now requires an action, from the target or an adjacent ally.
12. Added a use case note for Dread Scourging stacking.
13. Completed numerical stats for the Greater Swarm of Ravens
14. (5-31-15) Added a sidebar for Dread. It's weird and meant to be so; more of a roleplaying effect than a mathematical one. 

 

Known/Potential Issues

1. Shadewalker isn't good. I'm not happy about giving them the Way of Shadow monk ability (that Shadewalker is lifted from), so I added costs. Costs are too much. TBD.
1. (5-31-15) Adjusted Shadewalker: increased Shadow Power cost by one, extended duration of benefit from single incidence to one hour. 
2. Still need to write large spans of flavor text for the class.
3. Need to examine overall expected damage output, defenses, etc.
4. Need to write Dread sidebar
5.