Character Options
Ability Scores
Use the following point array, in any order you wish:
- 16
- 14
- 13
- 12
- 10
- 9
Races
Follow these rules when choosing your race.
- No Variant Humans.
Dwarf Changes
Dwarven Resilience.
- You have resistance against poison damage.
- When you fail a saving throw to resist being poisoned, you can use your reaction to reroll the saving throw with advantage.
Gem Dragonborn
- Dragonborn with gem-like scales and psionic aptitude
- +1 Strength, +2 Intelligence
| Gem | Damage Type | Breath Weapon |
|---|---|---|
| Amethyst | Acid | 15 ft. cone (Dex. save) |
| Crystal | Cold | 5 by 30 ft. line (Con. save) |
| Emerald | Poison | 15 ft. cone (Con. save) |
| Sapphire | Lightning | 15 ft. cone (Dex. save) |
| Ruby | Fire | 5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save) |
Flexible Racial Ability Modifiers
All too often, certain classes are too appealing to certain races because of their racial ability score adjustments.
- Whenever your race or subrace would give you a bonus to a physical ability score (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution), you may apply that bonus to any physical ability score instead of the one specified. For example, a dragonborn could have +2 Dexterity instead of +2 Strength.
- Whenever your race or subrace would give you a bonus to a mental ability score (Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma), you may apply that bonus to any mental ability score instead of the one specified. For example, a dragonborn could have +1 Intelligence instead of +1 Charisma.
Classes
This campaign will be using the Class Feature Variants published in Unearthed Arcana. LINK
There are several new classes available for play.
- Artificer is available for human and gnome characters from Lantan or High Imaskar.
- Psion is available for gemstone dragonborn characters from Yashinskoye. LINK
- Witch is available for all races. LINK
Subclasses
There is one new subclass available for play.
- Circle of the Elements Druid (see below)
Feats
To make PCs more versatile, most feats have been adjusted and many new ones have been added. Refer to the feat list later in this document.
Level 1 Bonus Features
Starting Feats
- Humans start with four feats.
- Half-elves start with two feats.
- Other races start with three feats.
Starting Languages
Because of the new language rules introduced below, every character starts out knowing one extra language at level 1.
Ability Score Increases
Whenever you gain an ability score increase as a class feature, you may choose one of the following options.
- Gain two feats.
- Gain one feat and increase one ability score of your choice by 1.
- Increase two ability scores of your choice by 1.
- Increase one ability score of your choice by 2.
Bonus Feats
Whenever you gain a bonus feat as a class feature, you instead gain two feats.
Languages
Common Has Its Limits
Common is little more than a trade language; that is, it is not useful for complicated topics. It is simple and not very expressive as a language.
When you communicate in Common with a creature, you have disadvantage on Charisma ability checks against that creature.
Breaking the Language Barrier
Sometimes, a character does not know a language that is spoken in front of them. A character might attempt to understand the language, or recall a few words that they might have heard before. The creature must make an Intelligence (History) check. The DC is 15 for a standard language, or 20 for an exotic language.
On a success, the creature can understand one or two key words that the creature had said.
Regional Languages
The following languages are frequently spoken across Toril. I'll provide layers to the maps on the World Anvil site that displays the general coverage of these languages.
Algarondan. Spoken in Algarond, Turmish, the Vilhon Reach and many cities along the eastern Sea of Fallen Stars.
Alzhedo. Spoken in Laerakond, Calimshan, Akanûl, the Plains of Purple Dust, and by most of the genasi race who have scattered across Toril.
Chondathan. Spoken in Amn, Chondath, Cormyr, the Dalelands, the Dragon Coast, Sembia, the Silver Marches, Tethyr, Waterdeep, the Western Heartlands, and the Vilhon Reach.
Damaran. Spoken in Damara, The Great Dale, Narfell, Impiltur, the Moonsea, the Vast, and Thesk.
Dambrathan. Spoken in Dambrath, Estagund, and the eastern remnant of Halruaa.
Draconic. Spoken in Chult, Lantan, Laerakond, Murghom, Okoth, and Tymanther.
Illuskan. Spoken in Luskan, Neverwinter, Icewind Dale, the Silver Marches, the Moonshae Isles and most other islands in the northern Sea of Swords. The scattered barbarian tribes of the northwest also speak this language.
Mulhorandi. Spoken in Thay, Tymanther, Murghom, and the fallen kingdoms of Unther, Chessentia, and Mulhorand.
Netherese. Spoken in the Anauroch desert, realm of the shadowy Empire of Netheril, Nimbral, Samarach, and what remains of Halruaa.
Rashemi. Spoken in the far northeastern kingdom of Rashemen and the barbarians of the Endless Wastes.
Shaaran. Spoken in the expansive eastern plains of Shaar and the lands along the Great Sea.
Retraining
Retraining Feats
Whenever gain a level, you can exchange one chosen feat for another. During downtime, you can spend two months retraining, exchanging one feat for another.
Retraining Levels
Whenever you gain a level, you may convert a level from one class to another class. For example, if you are a 6th level rogue and gain your 7th level in warlock, you can convert one level from rogue to warlock, ending up with 5 levels in rogue and 2 levels in warlock. During downtime, you can spend one year retraining, exchanging one class level for another.
Retraining Spells Known
During downtime, spontaneous spellcasters can spend one week of downtime researching and practicing a new spell in order to replace one spell known with another from your spell list.
Tools
New rules for kits
Class Changes
Fighting Styles
Protection Fighting Style
When a creature you can see hits a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to force the enemy to reroll the attack. If you are wielding a shield, the enemy rerolls the attack with disadvantage. You must use the new result.
Two-Weapon Fighting Style
- You can use two-weapon fighting even when the one-handed melee weapons you are wielding aren't light.
- When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of your offhand. Does not stack with the Dual Wield Master feat.
Druid
Circle of the Elements Druid
Druids of the Circle of the Elements are focused on the study of the foundation of nature, the four elements that are essential to life: air, earth, fire and water.
Their intense study of the elements gives them a greater ability to harness and manipulate the elements towards their will, though this intense specialization means sacrificing what many consider to be an essential aspect of being a druid -- the ability to transform into beasts.
Less reverential of natural things then other druids, Circle of Elements druids usually ignore restrictions on using metal armor and weapons.
Circle Spells
Your mystical connection to the elements infuses you with the ability to cast certain spells. At 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to circle spells.
Once you gain access to a circle spell, you always have it prepared, and it doesn't count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. If you gain access to a spell that doesn't appear on the druid spell list, the spell is nonetheless a druid spell for you.
Circle of the Elements Spells
| Druid Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 2nd | create bonfire, flurry |
| 3rd | witch bolt, burning hands |
| 5th | flaming sphere, snilloc's snowball swarm |
| 7th | protection from energy, elemental weapon |
| 9th | elemental bane, wall of fire |
Elemental Conduit
At 2nd level, your Wild Shape ability manifests itself as a special connection to elemental energy instead of the polymorphic transformation capabilities of other druids. You lose the ability to Wild Shape into beasts, but can instead enhance your Circle Spells with your uses of Wild Shape.
You can expend one use of Wild Shape to cast a spell from the Circle of Elements spell list instead of expending a spell slot. Spells cast this way can be cast as a bonus action or as an action (your choice) and do not require concentration, though the spell immediately ends if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die. If the spell deals damage, you add your Wisdom modifier to any damage the spell deals.
Elemental Manipulation
Starting at 6th level, you have developed a great understanding of the elements and the synergy between them. Whenever you cast a spell that causes elemental damage (acid, cold, fire, or lightning), you can substitute one of the other elements for the resulting spell.
Wild Channel
At 10th level, as an action, you can expend one spell slot of any level to regain one use of Wild Shape.
Elemental Wild Shape
When you reach 14th level, you gain the ability to Wild Shape into an elemental, becoming an air elemental, earth elemental, fire elemental, or a water elemental for up to 1 minute.
Monk
Way of the Four Elements Monk
Elemental Attunement
At 3rd level, you learn two of the following cantrips: gust, mold earth, control flames, and shape water.
Martial Arts & Spellcasting
When you cast a spell on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action, or you can use your Flurry of Blows.
Paladin
Auras
Instead of persistent auras, paladin aura's are instead enchantments the paladin can place on creatures of their choice. After a paladin finishes a long rest, the paladin can choose a number of creatures within 60 feet equal to the paladin's Charisma modifier. Those creatures gain the benefits granted by the aura until the paladin finishes a long rest. The paladin always gains the benefit of the auras, and need not be one of the targeted creatures.
Ranger
Monster Slayer
Slayer's Sense
At 3rd level, you gain the ability to peer at a creature and magically discern how best to hurt it. As an action or when you deal damage to a creature you can see within 60 feet of you, you learn whether a creature has any damage or condition immunities, resistances, or vulnerabilities and what they are. If the creature is hidden from divination magic, you sense that it has no damage immunities, resistances, or vulnerabilities.
Rogue
Arcane Trickster
Arcane Trickster can choose spells from the Divination, Enchantment, and Illusion schools.
Assassin Rogue
Bonus Proficiencies
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with the disguise kit and the poisoner's kit. You can apply poison to a weapon or object as a bonus action.
Mastermind Rogue
Insightful Manipulator
Starting at 9th level, if you spend at least 10 minutes observing or participating in social interactions with a creature, you gain insight into their personality. Once per short rest, you may choose to automatically roll a 20 on one Deception, Insight, Intimidation, or Persuasion skill check against that creature.
Misdirection
Beginning at 13th level, when a creature misses you with a melee attack roll, you can use your reaction to cause that attack to hit one creature of your choice, other than the attacker, that you can see within 5 feet of you. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Warlock
Celestial Patron
Bonus Cantrips
At 1st level, you learn the defensive ward, light, and sacred flame cantrips. They count as warlock cantrips for you, but they don't count against your number of cantrips known.
Pact of the Gift
You gain a wand, rod, or staff that gives you power. The item usually reflects the powers or personality of your patron. When you choose this pact, choose a 1st-level spell from any spell list. The item has a number of charges equal to your Charisma modifier. You can expend a charge to cast the chosen spell as if you had spent a 1st-level spell slot. The charges recover after you finish a long rest. If you lose your gift, you can perform a 1-hour ritual to create a new one (and remotely destroy the old one, if it still exists).
Pact of the Mask
You are granted a mask that has a vague appearance reminiscent of your patron. While wearing the mask, once per short rest you can activate it using your action to transform into a terrifying creature; a hybrid between you and your patron or a creature the patron desires. You gain temporary hit points equal to 10 plus your warlock level plus your Charisma modifier. Your unarmed attacks are treated as melee spell attacks that deal slashing damage equal to 1d8 + your Charisma modifier. At 5th level, you can make an additional unarmed attack when you take the attack action while in your altered form.
You cannot cast spells while in this form. This transformation and temporary hit points last until you dismiss the transformation using a bonus action. If you lose your mask, you can perform a 1-hour ritual to create a new one (and remotely destroy the old one, if it still exists).
Warlock Invocations
Abyssal Rebuke
Prerequisite: Hellish Rebuke spell
The flames summoned by your Hellish Rebuke spell are tainted by fumes from the Abyss. When you cast Hellish Rebuke, the creature must also make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, the creature becomes poisoned for 1 minute.
Awful Visage
Prerequisite: 9th level, Pact of the Mask
Your altered form is terrifying or transfixing. Transforming into your altered form causes creatures of your choice within a 15-foot radius that can see you to make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or become frightened. Each creature can attempt a new saving throw at the start of each of their turns to end this effect.
Bastion of the Beast
Prerequisite: 5th level, Pact of the Mask
While in your altered form, you can use your reaction to add your Charisma modifier to your AC against one melee attack that would hit you.
Betrayal of Hollow's Heart
Prerequisite: 5th level, Counterspell spell
Your counterspell causes a cruel feedback of hellfire against the caster. When you successfully counter a spell with counterspell, the caster of the countered spell takes 1d6 fire damage per level of the spell countered.
Blazing Sacrifice
Prerequisite: Pact of the Tome
As a bonus action, your Book of Shadows is consumed in a torrent of energy. You gain temporary hit points equal to your warlock level and you regain one expended warlock spell slot. You can use this ability once per long rest.
Until you perform the 1-hour ceremony to recreate your Book of Shadows, you lose the ability to cast the bonus cantrips and any ritual spells inscribed within its pages.
Crown of Glory
Prerequisite: 9th level
As an action, you cause seven star-like motes of light to appear and orbit your head, shedding bright light in a 15-foot radius and dim light for an additional 15 feet.
Whenever a creature within 30 feet of you makes an attack roll and misses or fails a saving throw, you can use your reaction to expend a mote to allow the target to roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the attack roll or saving throw. The effect ends early if you expend the last mote, you're incapacitated, or you dismiss the crown as a bonus action.
Once you use this invocation, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Distress Shell
Prerequisite: 5th level, Pact of the Chain
Whenever your familiar would take damage, you can use your reaction to give your familiar immunity to one damage type of your choice. This immunity lasts until the beginning of your familiar's next turn.
Everlasting Gift
Prerequisite: 7th level, Pact of the Gift
Your pact's gift gains 3 additional charges.
Explosive Transformation
Prerequisite: Pact of the Mask
When you transform into your altered form, you may cast thunderwave as if you had spent a warlock spell slot to cast it.
Freezing Hex
Prerequisite: The ability to curse a creature
A creature cursed by you (either through the hex or bestow curse spell or other such effect) has their movement speed reduced by 10 feet.
Gift of Duality
Prerequisite: 9th level, Pact of the Gift
When you cast a spell that targets only one creature and doesn't have a range of self, you can expend 2 charges from your pact's gift to have the spell target an additional target.
Gift of Immortality
Prerequisite: Pact of the Gift
You can expend any number of charges from your pact's gift to heal yourself for 1d8 + your Charisma modifier for each charge expended.
Gift of Speed
Prerequisite: 9th level, Pact of the Gift
When you cast a spell that has a casting time of 1 action, you can expend 2 charges from your pact's gift to change the casting time to 1 bonus action for this casting.
Light as a Feather
You can use your reaction when you fall to reduce any falling damage you take by an amount equal to five times your warlock level.
Masterful Gift
Prerequisite: 5th level, Pact of the Gift
Choose a 2nd-level spell from any spell list. You can expend 2 charges from your pact's gift to cast that spell as if you had spent a 2nd-level spell slot.
Miracle Worker
Prerequisite: 5th level
You can cast the spells detect poison and disease and lesser restoration without expending a spell slot, expending one hit die per casting instead.
Neifon's Vampiric Swarm
Prerequisite: 3rd level, Cloud of Daggers spell
When you cast cloud of daggers, you instead summon a cloud of spectral bats in the spell's area. The spell deals necrotic damage instead of slashing, and you gain an amount of life equal to half the damage it deals whenever it deals damage. While the spell is active, you can use your bonus action to command the swarm to move up to 30 feet to a space you can see. While moving, the swarm deals no damage to creatures it passes through.
Planar Recoil
Prerequisite: 5th level, Pact of the Chain
As a bonus action, you can swap places with your summoned familiar as long as it is within 60 feet of you and you can see it. You can use this ability once per short rest.
Purge the Unclean
Prerequisite: 5th level
As an action, choose fiend or undead. Each creature of that type in a 60-foot cone must make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, it is turned for 1 minute or until it takes any damage.
A turned creature must spend its turns trying to move as far away from you as it can, and it can't willingly move to a space within 30 feet of you. It also can't take reactions. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there's nowhere to move, the creature can use the Dodge action.
You can use this ability once per long rest.
Savage Rending
Prerequisite: 7th level, Pact of the Mask
When you hit a creature with two or more attacks in your altered form, you can deal an additional 2d8 slashing damage to the creature as a bonus action.
Revelations
Prerequisite: Pact of the Tome
When you perform the ceremony to create a new Book of Shadows, you can replace any number of the cantrips written in the book with cantrips from any spell list.
Servants of Vanity
Prerequisite: Unseen Servant spell
When you cast unseen servant, you summon an additional number of servants equal to your Charisma modifier.
Shadow Weaver
Prerequisite: Pact of the Tome
Creatures have disadvantage on their Intelligence ability checks when investigating your illusion spells.
Shadowstrike
Prerequisite: 12th level, Pact of the Blade
You can cast steel wind strike as if you had spent a warlock spell slot to cast it. You can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Spell Channeling
Prerequisite: 12th level, Pact of the Mask
You may cast spells while in your altered form.
Spirit Blade
Prerequisite: 5th level, Pact of the Blade
You can cast spiritual weapon as if you had spent a warlock spell slot to cast it. You can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Unleashed Power
Prerequisite: 11th level, Pact of the Gift
When you cast a spell using your pact's gift, you can cast it using a warlock spell slot instead of expending a charge from your gift. The spell is cast at the same level as the warlock spell slot used.
Vitriolic Dispelling
Prerequisite: Dispel Magic spell
Your abjuration magic converts magical energy into a potent acid. When you cast dispel magic on a creature, the creature takes 1d8 acid damage for each spell level of each spell dispelled. For instance, if you dispel an enlarge and a crusader's mantle spell, you deal 5d8 acid damage to the creature.
Combat
Death Saving Throws
Every time you roll a death saving throw, you gain one level of the Winded condition.
Drinking Potions
As a bonus action, if you succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity ability check, you successfully drink the potion.
Lingering Injuries
It is possible to suffer long-term injuries as a result of a special critical hit or critical fumble or other game effects, unless a creature has resistance to the damage type. Refer to the tables in this document. Damage resistance grants immunity to lingering injuries.
Retreat
Having the party retreat in initiative order is fairly clumsy in practice. Follow these rules to better facilitate this perfectly acceptable combat strategy.
Any character on their turn can call for retreat from battle. You and every ally that can hear your call can use their reaction to move up to their movement speed. If a character uses the call for retreat to move, that character gains one level of the Winded condition at the end of their movement.
Special Criticals
- Once per turn, when a creature makes an attack roll and rolls a 20, roll on the critical hit tables below to determine the outcome.
- Once per turn, when a creature makes an attack roll and rolls a 1, roll on the critical fumble tables below to determine the outcome.
- A creature may sustain a lingering injury after rolling a 1 on a saving throw to avoid damage. When a natural 1 is rolled, roll a 1d20. On a roll of 1, the creature sustains a lingering injury. Note that damage resistance grants immunity to lingering injuries.
Conditions
Mooncursed
The amorphous patterns of the moon and its sickly, purple light afflicts those who are exposed to it with a sinister, yet subtle, madness. This madness seems to drain the empathy and compassion from those who are touched by the curse. Every hour of exposure to the moon's light, you must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a roll of 1, you are mooncursed. Your alignment shifts one step towards evil. For example, Lawful Good becomes Lawful Neutral, Neutral becomes Neutral Evil, Chaotic Good becomes Chaotic Neutral.
Unknown to most, the consumption of holy water makes one immune to the mooncurse for 24 hours. The mooncursed, once afflicted, can only be cured with a remove curse or greater restoration spell, or similar effects.
Winded
Winded is a new condition that represents a less critical form of exhaustion. It accumulates the same way as Exhaustion and uses the same table for determining its effects, except when you accumulate 6 levels of it, you become unconscious instead of dying. Winded is removed by a short rest.
Spellcasting
Cantrips
Spellcasters can cast any cantrip on their spell list using a 1st level or higher spell slot. The cantrip scales as all cantrips do, based on your level, not the level of spell slot used.
Conjuring Spells
When spells such as conjure animals and conjure woodland beings are cast, the caster may choose one or two creatures to be conjured. This should help keep combat going quickly and smoothly.
High Level Spell Limits
Changes to the world have made spellcasting more difficult. In order to cast a 7th-level or higher spell, you must use a permanent magical item capable of casting that same spell as your arcane focus. If the item requires attunement in order to function, you must be attuned to the item in order to cast the spell. Spellcasters can still use their 7th, 8th, and 9th level spell slots to cast lower level spells at a higher level.
Spell Changes
Banishment
Banished creatures are no longer incapacitated. They might drink a potion or come right back!
Healing Spirit
The spell healing spirit has been replaced by the spell faerie spirit.
Witch Bolt
The spell does not immediately end if you use your action to do anything else.