The Prismatic Knight

A gnarled dwarf clad in iron and wreathed in swirling flames hefts a rusty greatsword, acrid smoke pouring from its pockmarked blade, and peers across the war-torn field. The sword hungers, demanding he move forward, compelling him to seek out stronger prey. He swings the greatsword before him and disappears from sight, leaving only smoldering sparks and a wispy trail of ashen magic.

Hammer raised, the half-orc screams a hellish roar and slams the weapon against the prison bars before her, which rend and shatter in a cacophonous blast of thunder.

Watching her ally become consumed in a burst of dragon fire, an elf reaches into the fire’s essence and takes some of the attack’s power into herself, using it to bolster her own strength.

All of these figures are prismatic knights, and having had their souls melded with one thing or another, become vacuums of energy. Elemental, demonic, Shadowfell; all energy finds a home, and that home is you. When that energy feels the need to make a scene, it forces itself out through your soul in a stunning display of power.

A Broken Soul

The same cycle that constantly causes a prismatic knight's powers to ebb and flow drives them to seek out similar veins of power, whether consciously or otherwise. A warrior with a strong connection to fire could find themselves trekking towards a volcano, and one with a link to psychic energy could find themselves lured to the lair of a mind flayer.

Heading into dangerous areas is almost always full of danger and treasure in equal measures, which makes prismatic knights excellent adventurers, as they gain mental and emotional satisfaction upon finding a source of power, as well as wealth and power.

Creating a Prismatic Knight

The most pressing question when making a prismatic knight is what tore your soul apart in the first place. Were you sacrificed to a volcano in an attempt to please a god, with unintended side effects? Or perhaps you were lodged in the belly of a white dragon for a long amount of time?

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Do you despise this energy that has destroyed your life, or do you see it as a way to right past wrongs? Maybe it's a way to earn a profit, or to gain an edge over other mercenaries. Do you seek others like you in an effort to understand? Maybe you despise magic because of what happened to you, and avoid using your own magic in fear of damning yourself even more.

Quick Build

You can make a prismatic knight quickly by following these suggestions: First, Strength should be your highest ability score, followed by Charisma and Constitution. Second, choose the soldier background.

Art Credit

Cover Art: 'Mystical Kight' by Jason Nguyen

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Page 1 Art: 'Knights' by Alexander Trufanov

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Page 4 Art: 'Speedpainting Selection' by Conor Burke

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Page 6 Art: 'Eldritch Knight' by Artem Kurenkov

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Page 8 Art: 'MechaKingdom Illustrations' by Jason Nguyen

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Page 11 Art: 'Taser' by Dominik Mayer

Profound Strike

Beginning at 2nd level, you can use your bonus action to spend 2 Essence and augment the next weapon attack you make before the end of your next turn. The effect depends on your currently equipped element, and is listed at the end of the document.

Spellcasting

By 2nd level, you have learned to use your leaking power to cast spells.

Spell Slots:

The prismatic knight table shows how many spells you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a spell slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher:

You know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the

prismatic knight spell list. The Spells column of the prismatic knight table shows when you learn more prismatic knight spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the spells you know and replace it with another spell from the prismatic knight spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your prismatic knight spells, since your magic draws upon your sheer force of will to bring a spell into the world.

Spell Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +

your Charisma modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus +

your Charisma modifier

Elemental Infusion

Starting at 2nd level, your energy can leak into the weapons you hold. As an action, you can expend a spell slot to bestow an Infusion upon your soul item or a weapon you are proficient with. The Infusion temporarily dissipates if you let go of the weapon, but you can bestow the Infusion upon it again as a bonus action without expending an additional spell slot. If you go 1 minute without using the Infusion, it fades away and is wasted.

When you hit a creature with an attack using this object or weapon while the Infusion is active, you can choose to unleash a burst of unstable energy, ending the Infusion. The target takes an extra 1d6 damage of the Infusion's type and must make a saving throw; the type of saving throw and the effect the Infusion has depends on which element you have equipped when you use this ability, as detailed at the end of the class description. The DC for the saving throw is equal to your prismatic knight spell save DC.

When you reach certain levels in this class, the damage dealt to the target increases, increasing to 1d8 at 6th level, 1d10 at 12th level, and 1d12 at 18th level. A creature can only be under the effect of one Infusion at once.

The Power Of The elements

While you are free to choose any types you wish, it would be a very good idea to choose whichever types best relate to your background. For example, being thrown through the Shadowfell might mean choosing psychic and necrotic to remain thematically consistent. Likewise, being infused with the power of an air elemental might mean choosing lightning and thunder would be the most appropriate.

Elemental Bond

At 3rd level, you choose an avenue to further your power, the Bond of Blades, the Bond of Tomes, or the Bond of Wards. All are detailed later in the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 7th, 11th and 15th levels. These features include bond spells.

Bond Spells

Each bond has a list of associated spells. You gain access to these spells at the levels specified in the bond description. A bond spell doesn’t count against the number of spells you know.

If you gain a bond spell that doesn’t appear on the prismatic knight spell list, the spell is nonetheless a prismatic knight spell for you.

When you cast one of your bond spells, you can choose to expend an amount of Essence equal to twice the spell's level + 2 to cast the spell instead of a spell slot.

Elemental Sense

Essence Cost: 1 Essence

Starting at 3rd level, you can use your action to open your senses to the elements around you. For 1 minute, you become aware of any sources that can deal your currently equipped type (eg sources of lava for fire), and you are aware if damage of your currently equipped type is dealt within 120 feet of you. You can't determine the distance or direction, only whether it has happened or not. Once you use this ability, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Hastened Arcana

Essence Cost: 5 Essence

Beginning at 3rd level, your soul has started to become in tune with your magic. When you cast a spell, you can choose to cast it as a bonus action. Once you do so, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th levels, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Radiant Vision

Essence Cost: 3 Essence

Starting at 5th level, you can use your action to shed bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 15 feet for 1 minute. Any invisible creature that steps into the bright light must make a Charisma saving throw or have its invisibility suppressed. The creature has disadvantage on the check if you are aware of the creature’s presence. You can end this ability as a bonus action.

Once you use this ability, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Extra Attack

Starting at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Combat Focus

Starting at 6th level, your focus on magic overrides your own fear and doubt. You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed while you are concentrating on a spell.

Improved Prowess

Starting at 6th level, you can use the elements chosen for your Elemental Prowess ability to defend yourself from that same element.

As a bonus action, you can spend 2 Essence gain resistance to one of your known elements. If you cast a spell, you can swap your currently equipped element as part of the casting. The resistance fades once you finish a short or long rest.

Chromatic Surge

Essence Cost: 8 Essence

Starting at 7th level, whenever you cast a spell that deals damage that is of a type you can equip, you can choose to deal maximum damage with that spell to one target affected by the spell.

Once you use this ability, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest. At 12th and 17th levels, you gain an additional use of this ability between rests.

Primordial Intuition

Starting at 8th level, your compatibility with your inner power lets you navigate the world in new ways. You gain new abilities depending on what element you currently have equipped:

Acid

You gain no downsides from consuming hazardous materials, such as poisoned food or toxic animal parts. Many substances (glass, metal, stone) won't count as food for the purposes of starvation, however.

Cold

You can walk and move on the surface of water as though it were solid.

Fire

Your jump height is tripled, but only vertically. You need access to air to use this ability.

Force

If you can see a metal surface at least as big as you, you can use your action to attract yourself to it. This movement deals falling damage, regardless of the direction. You then fall if nothing else holds you aloft.

Lightning

When exposed to powerful winds (such as the gust of wind spell), you can immediately fly up to your speed. You fall if nothing else is holding you aloft.

Necrotic

You can walk up surfaces and walls that are in darkness without needing to make a skill check. If exposed to light, you fall.

Poison

You are immune to disease and can identify creatures or substances carrying poison or disease at a glance.

Psychic

You can see into the minds of creatures with an Intelligence of 4 or higher, giving you advantage on checks to influence them if you spend at least 10 minutes interacting with them.

Radiant

You emit bright light in a 5 foot radius, and dim light for a further 5 feet. You can turn this feature on or off without using an action.

Thunder

While prone, you have tremorsense out to 15 feet.

Flexible Power

Starting at 9th level, your innate power diversifies, allowing you to recover your abilities.

As an action, you can regain an amount of expended spell slots. The total level of spell slots you regain increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the table below. Once you use this ability, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

Prismatic Knight Level	Expended Spell Levels Gained
9th	3
12th	4
15th	5
18th	6
20th	7

Infused Havoc

Starting at 9th level, your Infusions are so powerful they leak power into anything they touch.

Whenever you hit a creature with a weapon that has an Infusion stored within it, that creature takes an additional 1d6 damage of the Infusion's type.

At 14th level, this damage increases to 1d8.

Primordial Recovery

Essence Cost: 5 Essence

Starting at 10th level, you can draw upon surrounding energy to heal yourself. Whenever a creature deals damage of your equipped type within 30 feet of you, you can use your reaction to draw power from that attack, weakening the damage of the attack by 4d8 and regaining hit points equal to the amount of reduced damage.

You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once), regaining all uses upon finishing a long rest.

The reduced damage increases to 4d10 at 12th level, and 4d12 at 15th level.

At 14th level, the range of this ability increases to 60 feet.

Improved Infusion

Starting at 13th level, your Infusions become so powerful that they can easily interact with your inner essence.

Instead of expending a spell slot to create an Infusion, you can spend Essence. The amount of Essence spent determines the level of the Infusion, as shown below. You cannot make an Infusion higher than 6th level using this ability.

Pyramid of Power

Beginning at 17th level, your energy can cascade into extreme levels of power. When you create in Infusion, you can expend additional spell slots or Essence to increase the level of the Infusion. The maximum level an Infusion can attain with this ability is 9th level.

Primordial Engine

At 20th level, your power can sustain itself in a spectacular fashion. When you expend Essence, the cost reduces by 2 Essence, up to a cost of 0.

Elemental Bond

While every prismatic knight is able to swing swords and cast spells, many choose to focus on one part of their identity; some choose to sharpen themselves into points, capable of tearing through even the mightiest foe, while some focus on unleashing havoc with their spellcasting.

Others make the choice between defending what they hold dear or carving a path of destruction through their enemy's ranks. Whatever choice they make, they are warriors at heart, and not even the gods can stand in the way of the strongest warriors.

Bond of Blades

When the bells of war sound, those of the Bond of Blades are the first to respond and the first to lay down their lives so that others may survive. Choosing to fight one of these warriors will almost always be a choice to regret.

Bond Spells

You gain bond spells at the prismatic knight levels listed.

Bond of Blades Spells

Prismatic Knight Level	Spells
3rd	guiding bolt, searing smite
5th	blade tether* , branding smite
9th	crusader's mantle, elemental weapon
13th	freedom of movement, staggering smite
17th	banishing smite, destructive wave

Knight of the Arcane

Upon choosing this class option at 3rd level, if you take the Attack action on your turn, you can use a bonus action to create an Infusion before or after your action.

Primordial Rebuke

Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, when you are hit by an attack that originated within 30 feet of you, you can use your reaction to use blast the damaging creature with energy, dealing 1d4 damage of your equipped type.

This damage increases to 2d4 at 7th level, 3d4 at 11th level and 4d4 at 15th level.

Chromatic Defence

Starting at 7th level, you can use your action to create armour on yourself by spending Essence. You gain temporary Hit Points equal to the amount of Essence spent multiplied by four. Upon taking damage, the attacker takes damage of your currently equipped type equal to the temporary Hit Points lost.

The maximum amount of Essence you can expend for this ability at one time is equal to half your prismatic knight level plus your proficiency bonus.

Revenge Strike

Essence Cost: 4 Essence

Starting at 11th level, your mortal wounds mean nothing. If you are hit by an attack within range of your weapon, you can use your reaction to make one weapon attack against the attacker. If the attack reduces you to 0 hit points, you get to make the attack before you fall unconscious.

You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all uses upon finishing a long rest.

Elemental Strikes

Starting at 15th level, your attacks are laced with elemental energy. Your reach for weapon attacks increases by 5 feet. Any weapon damage you deal in this increased range becomes your currently equipped type instead of the weapon's regular damage type.

Bond of Tomes

Spellcasting is an art, one that takes a lifetime to master. With most of them already having become formidable weapon users, a prismatic knight of this particular order focuses on their magical ability, enhancing it to a degree that allows them to control any battlefield.

Kaleidoscopic Casting

Essence Cost: 6 Essence

Starting at 7th level, when you cast a spell that deals damage, you can change the spell’s damage type to another damage type that you can equip. That spell deals additional damage equal to half your prismatic knight level.

You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once), regaining all uses upon finishing a long rest.

Elemental Lapse

Essence Cost: 8 Essence

Starting at 11th level, you can use your action to attempt to give a creature or object within 30 feet of you vulnerability to your currently equipped element. If the target is a creature, it must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature becomes affected. If the creature or object is immune to your equipped element, it instead gains resistance. Likewise, a creature or object with resistance receives damage normally, and a creature or object that receives damage normally gains vulnerability.

If the creature or object already has vulnerability, no effect occurs and the casting is wasted.

Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Primordial Disarray

Essence Cost: 6 Essence

Starting at 15th level, you can designate a point within 60 feet of you as an action. A 20 foot radius sphere of energy forms into existence, with the following effects:

• If a friendly creature in the sphere receives damage of your currently equipped type, you can use your reaction to give that creature resistance to that instance of damage.
• If a friendly creature makes a ranged attack that passes through the sphere, it deals an additional 1d12 damage of your currently equipped type.
• The sphere becomes heavily obscured for all hostile creatures.

After 1 minute, the sphere vanishes, giving all friendly creatures in its area temporary hit points equal to half your prismatic knight level.

Once you use this ability, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Bond of Wards

When an unbreakable shield wall is required, or a keep needs to be protected at all costs, those that chose the Bond of Wards are called upon to use their defensive magic in order to keep those around them alive and in the fight, even at the cost of their own lives.

Bond Spells

You gain bond spells at the prismatic knight levels listed.

Bond of Wards Spells

Prismatic Knight Level	Spells
3rd	armor of agathys, shield
5th	arcane lock, warding bond

Bond of Wards Spells

Immortal Object

Upon choosing this subclass at 3rd level, you gain the ability to be an unparalleled defender. You cannot be disarmed of a weapon or shield that you are proficient with.

Sentinel's Blessing

Essence Cost: 4 Essence

Starting at 3rd level, you can use your action to touch a creature and imbue it with protective energy and give it a +1 bonus to AC.

After one minute, or as a bonus action, you can cause the Blessing to dissipate in an explosion of energy. Each creature within 5 feet of the creature with the Blessing must make a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, a creature takes 2d8 damage of your currently equipped type and is pushed back 5 feet. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and suffers no other effect.

Once you use this ability, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

The damage dealt by the Blessing's detonation increases to 3d8 at 7th level, 4d8 at 11th level and 5d8 at 15th level.

Interposing Guardian

Essence Cost: 4 Essence

Starting at 7th level, when an allied creature that you can see is targeted for an attack by another creature within 30 feet of you, you can use your reaction to teleport and place yourself between the attacker. You appear in the allied creature’s place, becoming the attack’s target, and the creature is moved 5 feet away in a direction of your choosing.

You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all uses upon finishing a long rest.

Tethering Smite

Essence Cost: 4 Essence

Starting at 11th level, when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can force the creature to make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 5d6 damage of your currently equipped type and becomes tethered to you by a line of energy for 1 minute.

While tethered in this way, you and the affected creature cannot move more than 30 feet away than each other/

If you are damaged while this effect is active, you must make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC, as if you were concentrating on a spell.

If the target passes the save, it takes half damage and suffers no other effect.

Once you use this ability, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Defensive Surge

Essence Cost: 6 Essence

Starting at 15th level, you can use your bonus action to target a creature within 10 feet of you. Until the start of your next turn, the target gains the following benefits:

• The creature has immunity to your currently equipped element.
• The creature has advantage on all saving throws.
• The creature has a +3 bonus to their AC.
• The creature cannot be charmed or frightened.

Once you use this ability, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Elemental Effects List

Fire

Fire Infusion

Saving throw: Dexterity

On a failed save, the target becomes engulfed in magical flames for 1 minute. At the start of each of its turns, it takes fire damage equal to twice the spell level. The fire can't be extinguished by nonmagical means.

Fire Profound Strike

The next weapon attack you make causes your feet tingle with fiery energy. Until the end of your next turn, your speed increases by 5 feet and you leave a trail of fire in the spaces you enter that lasts until the end of your next turn. A creature that enters a space on fire must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking fire damage equal to your prismatic knight level on a failed save or half that on a successful save.

Force

Force Infusion

Saving throw: Strength

On a failed save, the target is pushed a number of feet away from you equal to ten times the spell level.

Force Profound Strike

The next weapon attack you make has powerful force. All creatures within 10 feet of the target (except for you) must make a Strength saving throw, being knocked prone on a failed save.

Lightning

Necrotic

Poison

Poison Profound Strike

The next weapon attack you make forces toxins into the enemy's body. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it drops whatever it's holding and drops prone as it becomes overwhelmed by toxins.

Psychic

Psychic Infusion

Saving throw: Wisdom

For 1 minute, the target takes psychic damage equal to the spell level whenever they target a creature that isn't you with an attack or harmful effect.

Psychic Profound Strike

The next weapon attack you make causes intense mental anguish. The target must make a Charisma saving throw. On a fail, the target becomes stunned until the start of its next turn.

Radiant

Radiant Infusion

Saving throw: Constitution

On a failed save, the target becomes blinded for a number of rounds equal to the spell level.

Radiant Profound Strike

The next weapon attack you make gleams with power. The target must make a Charisma saving throw. On a fail, the target becomes illuminated for a number of rounds equal to half your prismatic knight level. While illuminated, the target leaves a trail of light in the spaces it moves through and cannot benefit from being invisible.

Thunder

Thunder Infusion

Saving throw: Strength

On a failed save, all creatures within 10 feet of the target (except you) are knocked prone and pushed a number of feet away from you equal to five times the spell level.

Thunder Profound Strike

The next weapon attack you make ruptures the target's ears. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a fail, it becomes deafened for a number of rounds equal to half your prismatic knight level.

Spell List

An asterisk next to a spell denotes that it isn't a spell from an official source and is instead a homebrew spell.

1st Level

• Absorb Elements
• Catapult
• Cause Fear
• Chaos Bolt
• Color Spray
• Command
• Compelled Duel
• Detect Magic
• Dissonant Whispers
• Ditch Slap*
• Earth Tremor
• Faerie Fire
• Fog Cloud
• Guiding Bolt
• Hellish Rebuke
• Jump
• Marble Defence*
• Searing Smite
• Rush*
• Thunderwave
• Wrathful Smite
• Zephyr Strike

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2nd Level

• Blade Tether*
• Blur
• Chaos Star*
• Cloud of Daggers

• Continual Flame
• Darkness
• Dusk Lance*
• Dust Devil
• Flame Blade
• Flaming Sphere
• Gust of Wind
• Maximillian's Earthen Grasp
• Mind Spike
• Pounce*
• Pyrotechnics
• Scorching Ray
• Shadow Blade
• Shadow Harvest*
• Shatter
• Spike Growth
• Warding Wind

3rd Level

• Blink
• Call Lightning
• Choke Rush*
• Davorus' Legion*
• Erupting Earth
• Hot Potato*
• Lightning Bolt
• Melf's Minute Meteors
• Phantom Steed
• Plummet*
• Quake Crush*
• Scorch Bolt*
• Serrated Stone*
• Shadow Storm*
• Smoke Launch*
• Sunblast*
• Starbomb*
• Thunder Step
• Tidal Wave
• Wall of Sand
• Wall of Water
• Wind Wall

4th Level

• Blight
• Control Water
• Elemental Bane
• Fire Shield
• Hasty Escape*
• Ice Storm
• Monsoon Surge*
• Rumble Strike*
• Shadow of Moil
• Stoneskin
• Stone Shape
• Storm Sphere
• Sunlight Javelin*
• Umbral Grasp*
• Vitriolic Sphere
• Wall of Fire
• Watery Sphere

5th Level

• Bigby's Hand
• Bloodletting*
• Cone of Cold
• Contagion
• Combustion*
• Destructive Wave
• Hold Monster
• Penetrate*
• Plated Veil*
• Reality Turmoil*
• Steel Wind Strike
• Scorch Blast*
• Wall of Force
• Wall of Stone