Masked Hero

The orc slashes its axe across the archer's abdomen, causing her to drop to her knees in pain. When the warrior swings its weapon again to deal the killing blow, a figure appears before them in the blink of an eye, and deflects the attack with one sword strike. The bleeding archer gasps, before gazing up in awe at the helmeted, violet warrior that now stands over her.

Uttering a command-phrase, a red suit of armor begins to manifest around the mysterious stranger. As the armor-pieces join together in perfect harmony, an audible melody rings in the air, as if heralding the arrival of a saviour. When the tune finally ends, the crimson knight unsheathes a flaming blade.

Driving the entire length of the blue blade straight into the orc's torso, the gigantic beast cries out in pain before the masked figure sends it reeling backwards with a blazing kick. Right as the monster's back hit the wall behind it, its howl of pain is silenced by a burning fist that caves-in its skull. The beast finally dead, its body crumbles away as ash in the wind.

Beyond the safe haven of cities, masked heroes endlessly battle against the forces of evil. Donning suits of armor fueled by their force-of-will, these warriors take up heroic personas to fight as the world's faceless defenders. They fight for those who can't, and do so even if their efforts are unrecognized.

Creating a Masked Hero

When creating a masked hero, you must first decide how your character acquired the powers that they wield. Were they gifted to you from mysterious individuals? Perhaps you found a mysterious device buried within an ancient crypt? Are these powers something that you had desired, or was it a matter of taking up a mantle that had been passed onto you?

Even though the concept of a masked hero may seem like it calls for those of both pure mind and body, you need only an unwavering force-of-will, and the ability to turn that will into a weapon, in order to hone your abilities. The reason why you are able to do this can vary, whether it is because you fight for the sake of people that you care about, or because you had been given some sort of mysterious purpose alongside your newfound powers.

Class Features

Archery

You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.

Dueling

When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.

Great Weapon Fighting

When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

Two-Weapon Fighting

When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.

Decree of Retribution

The Decree of Retribution calls for heroes to see through the lies of the sinful, before bringing them to justice with a blade of wrath. No matter how adept their enemies may be, a hero that enforces this Decree will cut through the fog of deceit that shrouds their path, before reaching out for the truth.

Decree Magic

Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Preservation Spells table. The spell counts as a masked hero spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of masked hero spells you know.

Mark of Valour

When you select this decree at 3rd level, you can generate a Mark of Valour, a badge of honour meant only for the most bravest warriors. As an action, you can expend one use of Heroic Armaments to choose one creature that you can see within 5 feet of you. That creature gains a +1 bonus to its AC. This benefit lasts until that creature finishes a long rest, and ends early if that creature dies, dons medium or heavy armor, or a shield. A creature can have only one Mark of Valour at a time.

Aegis Rune

At 3rd level, after using Deflective Strike, you generate a rune called an Aegis Rune. This rune lasts until the end of your next turn, and you can have only one rune on you at a time. As a bonus action, you can expend this rune to choose one creature that you can see within 15 feet of you. That creature gains temporary hit points equal to a d6.

These temporary hit points lasts until they are depleted, or until that creature finishes a long rest. Whenever a creature has these temporary hit points, they can move on their turn without provoking opportunity attacks from enemy creatures.

You may expend one masked hero spell slot when granting these hit points to choose an additional number of creatures equal to the slot's level, to a maximum of three additional creatures that you can see within 15 feet of you.

These temporary hit points increase when you reach certain levels in this class, increasing to 2d6 at 11th level.

Protective Ward

At 7th level, you can generate defensive wards within you called Protective Wards. You generate one Protective Ward whenever you use Deflective Strike, and you can store only one Protective Ward within you at a time. Whenever you finish a short or long rest, your number of Protective Wards resets to zero.

When you - or a friendly creature that you can see within 15 feet of you - takes damage from an attack, you can expend your Protective Ward as a reaction to reduce that damage by an amount equal to 1d8 + your Wisdom modifier. You cannot use this feature and Deflective Strike within the same turn.

At 15th level, the range of this feature increases to 30 feet.

Decree Enhancements

Starting at 11th level, you gain the following benefit for your Masked Transformation:

Aegis Mastery. You can store two Protective Wards within you instead of one. If your transformed state ends while you have more than one Protective Ward within you, the number of Protective Wards you have is reduced to one.

Forceful Rebuke

At 15th level, your protective runes react violently to enemy attacks. When an enemy creature deals damage to a creature that has temporary hit points granted by Aegis Rune, they take 1d10 force damage at the end of their turn if you're within 30 feet of that enemy creature, and not incapacitated.

Decree Magic

Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Salvation Spells table. The spell counts as a masked hero spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of masked hero spells you know.

Servant of Miracles

When you select this decree at 3rd level, you gain the ability to call upon otherwordly creatures. You gain proficiency in the Animal Handling skill if you don't already have it.

In addition, you learn the find familiar spell, and while your bonded device is on your person, you can cast it as a ritual. The spell doesn’t count against your number of spells known.

At 15th level, as an action, you can merge your familiar if it is within 30 feet of you with a bonded device that is on your person. You then gain a bonus to your masked hero spell-save DC equal to half your Constitution modifier while your device is on your person. After 1 hour has passed - or in the case you lose your device - your familiar reappears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you while your device disappears, requiring you to replace it with another one.

Soul Charge

At 3rd level, after using Deflective Strike, you generate raw, divine energy. This radiant energy lasts until the end of your next turn, and you can store only one of these within you at a time. As a bonus action, you can expend this raw energy to choose one creature that you can see within 30 feet of you. That creature gains one Soul Charge, which equals to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one).

Once within the next 5 minutes, that creature can add this Soul Charge to one saving throw it makes. That creature can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use the Soul Charge, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. Once a Soul Charge is expended, it is lost. A creature can have only one Soul Charge at a time.

You may expend one masked hero spell slot when granting a Soul Charge to choose an additional number of creatures equal to the slot's level, to a maximum of three additional creatures that you can see within 30 feet of you.

Spiritual Emissary

At 7th level, you learn the animal messenger spell, and while your bonded device is on your person, you can cast it as a ritual. The spell doesn’t count against your number of spells known, and whenever you cast this spell, you can choose your familiar if you can see it within range to deliver the message. Your familiar must in the animal form of either a bat, hawk, owl, or raven in order for you to do this.

Decree Enhancements

Starting at 11th level, you gain the following benefit for your Masked Transformation:

Radiant Counterattack. When an enemy creature within your reach makes an attack against a target other than you, you can use your reaction to make one weapon attack against the attacking creature. If the attack hits, all damage dealt by that attack becomes radiant damage. You cannot use this feature and Deflective Strike within the same turn.

Divine Beacon

At 15th level, you can use your heroic soul to call upon divine assistance. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can choose one of the spells you know and replace it with another spell from the masked hero spell list. The replacement spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots. To do this, make an ability check using your masked hero spellcasting ability. The DC equals 10 + the spell’s level, and on a success, you replace one of the spells you know with the new spell.

Decree Magic

Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Conviction Spells table. The spell counts as a masked hero spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of masked hero spells you know.

Decree Enhancements

When you select this decree at 3rd level, you can manifest magical gauntlets to turn your unarmed strikes into heroic armaments. You gain the following benefit for your Masked Transformation:

Scorching Gauntlets. Your unarmed strikes count as melee weapon attacks made with a heroic armament. In addition, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn with either an unarmed strike, or a melee weapon that you are wielding in one hand, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. Your unarmed strikes also deal fire damage equal to a d6 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strikes.

The fire damage increases when you reach certain levels in this class, increasing to 1d8 at 11th level, and 1d10 at 15th level.

Blazing Step

At 3rd level, after using Deflective Strike, you can use your reaction to teleport up to 10 feet to an unoccupied space that you can see, interrupting the current turn. That space must also be within 5 feet of an enemy creature that you can see.

After teleporting, you can either make one unarmed strike against that creature as part of the same action, or you can instead present your bonded device if it is on your person.

If you choose to do this, all enemy creatures that you can see within 5 feet of you must make a Dexterity saving throw against your masked hero spell save DC or take fire damage equal to 1d6 + your Constitution modifier on a failed saving throw, and half as much on a successful one.

You may expend one masked hero spell slot to deal an extra 1d6 fire damage after presenting your device, plus additional 1d6 for each spell slot level used higher than 1st, to a maximum of 5d6.

Debilitating Impact

At 7th level, fire damage dealt by your unarmed strikes and Blazing Step feature ignore resistance and immunity to fire damage. In addition, whenever you use Blazing Step, and your unarmed strike hits your target, that creature suffers a penalty to the next saving throw it makes. This penalty lasts for 1 minute, and equals to half your Wisdom modifier.

Decree Enhancements

Starting at 11th level, you gain the following benefit for your Masked Transformation:

Burning Resolve. You gain a bonus to your Strength checks and Strength saving throws equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one).

Transferral Flames

At 15th level, when you hit an enemy creature with an unarmed strike - and deal force damage to it - you can deal fire damage to another creature of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of your original target. This fire damage can be dealt only once on each of your turns, and equals to your unarmed strike damage die.

Decree Magic

Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Execution Spells table. The spell counts as a masked hero spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of masked hero spells you know.

Decree Enhancements

When you select this decree at 3rd level, you learn the art of eliminating your foes from a distance. You gain the following benefit for your Masked Transformation:

Masked Marksman. Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 force damage to a creature you hit with a ranged weapon attack if there is at least one friendly creature within 5 feet of that creature.

The force damage increases when you reach certain levels in this class, increasing to 1d8 at 7th level, and 1d10 at 11th level.

Intercepting Shot

At 3rd level, you learn how to identify high-priority threats in battle and intercept their attacks. When an enemy creature that you can see within your weapon's normal range hits you, or a friendly creaure that you can see, with an attack, you can expend one use of Deflective Strike as a reaction to make one special ranged weapon attack against that creature.

You may only make this attack with either a ranged weapon or a melee weapon that has the thrown property, and you must make this special attack before the triggering attack deals any damage.

This ranged weapon attack does not cost ammunition, and can be made without disadvantage while an enemy creature who can see you and who isn’t incapacitated is within 5 feet of you. If this attack is made with a melee weapon that has the thrown property, that weapon returns to your hand immediately after the attack is made.

On a hit, the target takes the damage dealt by your attack, and unless its previous roll was a 20 on the d20, it must reroll its attack and use the new roll.

Otherwise, your special attack misses, and you may expend one masked hero spell slot to reduce the damage dealt by the triggering attack by 2d4, plus additional 1d4 for each spell slot level used higher than 1st, to a maximum of 5d4. You may only reduce the damage dealt by the triggering attack if your special attack had missed.

After using this feature, you may only attack once, instead of twice, when you take the Attack action on your next turn. If you are able to attack three times, instead of twice, whenever you take the Attack action, you may only attack twice instead. You cannot use this feature and Deflective Strike within the same round.

Elusive Retreat

At 7th level, whenever you make a Dexterity (Stealth) check, you gain a bonus to the roll equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of one). In addition, when an enemy creature that you can see ends its turn within 5 feet of you, you can teleport up to 10 feet to an unoccupied space that you can see. You can only use this feature once per round, and as long as you aren't blinded, frightened or incapacitated.

Decree Enhancements

Starting at 11th level, you gain the following benefit for your Masked Transformation:

Vanishing Shroud. You can take the Hide action as a bonus action on your turn. In addition, whenever you make a Dexterity (Stealth) check, you can add an extra d6 to the roll if you had taken the Attack action on the same turn.

Hunter's Tenacity

At 15th level, lurking in the shadows of your enemies slowly mends your injuries. You regain hit points equal to 1d6 + half your masked hero level if you end your turn in combat with fewer than half of your hit points remaining, you are in dim light or darkness, and you aren’t incapacitated.

1st Level

• Absorb Elements
• Bane
• Bless
• Command
• Cure Wounds
• Healing Word
• Heroism

2nd Level

• Aid
• Blindness/Deafness
• Calm Emotions
• Find Steed
• Lesser Restoration
• Locate Object
• Suggestion

3rd Level

• Aura of Vitality
• Beacon of Hope
• Crusader's Mantle
• Dispel Magic
• Remove Curse
• Revivify

4th Level

• Aura of Life
• Aura of Purity
• Find Greater Steed
• Locate Creature

5th Level

• Circle of Power
• Destructive Wave
• Geas
• Greater Restoration

Multiclassing-Worries

One worry I always had with this class was paladin or bard PCs taking a dip into the masked hero to gain that feature of being able to use your Charisma for your attack/damage rolls. Up until this final release, this class more or less had the Hex Warrior feature from the Warlock subclass, Hexblade, as a way of emulating a transforming hero's ability to fight without needing any sort of physical strength.

In this final release, that feature has been moved into Masked Transformation, and not only that, but using Masked Transformation forces one's AC to be based off the following formula: AC = 13 + your Wisdom modifier. Previously, it allowed you to keep the AC you had before you transformed, but it has been removed so paladins/bards can't access that Hex Warrior-esque feature without sacrificing their Armor Class in return. In addition, the class has a 13 Wisdom requirement, a stat that a paladin/bard isn't keen on having.

Deflective Strike

For the DM, a masked hero constantly using Deflective Strike may be frustrating, but it's the equivalent of a paladin's Divine Smite, where it's supposed to play a key-role in battle, but extensive use of it drains a masked hero's effectiveness fast.

A good way of wearing down a masked hero PC is fielding multiple enemies with weak attacks, as a masked hero works best when there are a small amount enemies that focus on dealing high damage. Emphasize death by a thousand cuts. You can also make use of lighting to nullify this feature, as they require a line of sight for an ally that they are saving.

Or you can just toss in enemy creatures with saving throw abilities instead of ones that rely on attack rolls. If you want, you can bait a masked hero to teleport next to a creature that they think they are protecting, only for a spellcaster to toss in a nasty area-of-effect spell at the two PCs that are now tightly packed together. Unlike the characters that this class is based on, explosions are not harmless to these costumed heroes.

Encounter-Balancing

If you want a reference on how you should treat a masked hero in terms of balance, they are more closer to a paladin than anything else. While Masked Transformation - and later on, Deflective Strike - are based off short rests, a masked hero is a half-caster first and foremost, working best when spell slots are readily available.

Without their resources, a masked hero is just a fighter with a worse hit die and without heavy armor proficiency. Once Masked Transformation wears off, their damage output also drops drastically, as they lose their ability to use their Charisma for their weapons, and their Armor Class drops unless they have medium armor and a shield on them.

Using Deflective Strike two times in-between one's turns?

As Deflective Strike is based on rounds, it is possible to do this depending on the position of several enemies in the initiative ladder. This is one way for a 5th level masked hero to deflect two attacks while only taking away Extra Attack on one upcoming turn. Even if you had used it twice in-between turns, it still only takes away one attack no matter what.

At the same time, several of the subclasses rely on using your reaction in order to access features tied into Deflective Strike. Thus, while a hero of Retribution is allowed to use Deflective Strike twice in-between turns, that PC is only able to use Judgement Blade once, as you can only get back your reaction on the start of your next turn.

Even heroes of Preservation/Salvation are affected by this, as they can only store one resource on them before they can expend said resource for a Aegis Rune/Soul Charge on their next turn as a bonus action. Lastly, a masked hero's usage of Deflective Strike is limited, even after 5th level, so using it recklessly can prove fatal in later encounters.

Can multiple masked heroes use Deflective Strike on one creature?

No. To quote a few sentences, "- you must make this special attack before the triggering attack deals any damage," as well as, "Otherwise, the triggering attack instantly deals damage to you instead of the friendly creature."

The first masked hero to declare Deflective Strike gets to use it on himself - or the creature he is protecting - but the moment he or she succeeds/fails on their attack roll, the triggering attack instantly deals damage to them. This is to prevent any other masked hero from attempting to deflect that attack and create a domino effect of sorts.

Using spell slots for a subclass' features wihout a bonded device?

If a masked hero doesn't have a bonded device, their spells known will be locked to them until they can get one. On the other hand, they can still very much expend their spell slots for their subclass features like Judgement Blade, as they are not tied to spellcasting, merely using similar resources.

Only subclasses like the Decree of Conviction require the presence of a bonded device for some features to be used, as they specifically point out the need for one in certain features.

Do the effects of Extra Attack (3) and Limit-Break stack?

No. Extra-Attack lets you attack three times as an action on your turn, while Limit-Break lets you attack three times with a heroic armament as an action on your turn.

Similar to having levels in classes with Extra Attack, their effects do not let you attack additional times.

Does Deflective Strike affect those with Extra Attack?

Yes. Even if you are a Fighter with Extra Attack (3) that took a 2-level dip into the class, using Deflective Strike will still take away one of your attacks on your next turn after using it.