Chapter 1: Races of the Realm

A VISIT TO ONE OF THE GREAT CITIES IN the worlds of Dungeons & Dragons—Waterdeep, the Free City of Greyhawk, or even uncanny Sigil, the City of Doors—overwhelms the senses. Voices chatter in the countless different languages. The smells of cooking in dozens of different cuisines mingle with the odors of crowded streets and poor sanitation.

Elven Culture

Elf characters are allowed to pick one culture, but is not necessary.

Additional races—listed below in the Homebrew Races table—are available to be used to augment the already existing races.

Vulpin Personality

Often curios the Vulpin are still a guarded race. They don't like to mingle in others affairs unless it's for their own survival, but sometimes their nature gets the better of them. You can use the following tables to customize your character in addition to the trait, ideal, bond, and flaw from your background.

Vulpin Traits

Each vulpin character has a number of traits in common through their heritage with all other vulpins.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1, your Wisdom score increases by 1, and your Charisma score increases by 1.

Age. Vulpin mature slower than humans and reach adulthood around the age of 40 and can live to be 900 years old.

Alignment. Vulpin have a low disdain towards all authority, when that is coupled to their fickle trickster nature, vulpin tend to heavily lean towards the chaotic neutral alignment.

Size. Vulpin tend to be between 4 and 5 feet tall with slender builds. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. While not carrying anything in your hands you can drop to all fours and increase your movement speed to 35 feet.

Darkvision. Vulpin have a foxes keen senses, especially in the dark. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed.

Vulpin Trickery. Vulpin gain proficiency in either Dexterity (Slight of Hand) or Charisma (Deception) skills.

Fox Fire. You know the dancing light cantrip and may produce an additional light for each class level. When you reach 3rd level, you may use this trait to cast the faerie fire spell.

When you reach 5th level, you may use this trait as a bonus action to deal 1d10 + Charisma modifier points of lighting damage to the closest hostile creature within 30 ft. of you. An enemy who succeeds on a Dexterity saving throw takes half damage. The spell save DC is equal to 8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus. This trait's damage increases by 1d10 when you reach 11th (2d10) and 17th (3d10) level.

You may use this trait once for each effect and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan.

Selachian

Residing in deep oceans and great seas, the Selachians, sometimes called Shark-people, evoke fear and wonder. Many Selachians aren’t even native to the Material Plane. They hail from a world beyond—from the endless expanses of the Elemental Plane of Water. They are a very varied people, and when not in isolation, work by the sea as sailors, pirates, and merchants, always longing for their independence.

Fierce Isolationists

Selachians enjoy peace and isolation. Most of them have little interest in dealing with other peoples and less interest in spending time on the ground. For this reason, it takes an exceptional circumstance for a Selachian to leave his or her territory and undertake the adventurer’s life.

As they are driven mostly by their primal hunting instincts, the prospect of a bigger, fiercer prey may attract the strongest and most boastful, while the promise of power and security for kin may drive the most rational.

Selachian Names

Because of their fairly independent and lonely life, most Selachians have no name. Those who interact with other races often adopt names kin to those of the race they interact with. Without clan names,, they usually adopt last names that relate to their most defining traits, be it physical, mental, or an accomplishment.

These are a few possible last names for a Selachian: “Great Bite”, “Quick Swim”, “Blood Tracker”, "Big Dorsal", etc.

Selachian Traits

Your Selachian character has, due to his underwater origins, some abilities that are shared by all Selachians

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1.

Age. Selachians reach maturity around age 15 and can live up to 200 years.

Alignment. Most Selachians are chaotic, and value their independence and following their natural instincts. They usually don't take sides in the fight of good and evil, and prefer to remain neutral.

Size. Selachian sizes vary between different subraces. Their sizes are further detailed in each specific sub race. For all subraces, your size is medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet, and you have a swimming speed of 30 feet.

Darkvision. Accustomed to life underwater, you have superior vision in dark and dim Conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Bite Weapon. Your mighty jaw is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your strength or dexterity modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Amphibious. You can breathe air and water.

Blood Frenzy. You gain advantage on attack rolls against targets who are below half their maximum hit-points. This ability does not work against constructs, some elementals and other creatures who do not posses blood.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Aquan

Subrace. Three main subraces of Selachian populate the worlds of D&D: Hunter Selachians, Great Selachians and Reef Selachians. Choose one of these subraces.

Chapter 2: Lineages of the Realm

THE FOLLOWING LINEAGES ARE RACES that characters might gain through remarkable events. These overshadow their original race, if any, becoming their new race. A character might choose a lineage during character creation, their transformation having occurred before play begins. Or, events might unfold during adventures that lead your character to replacing their race with this new lineage. Work with your DM to establish if you're amendable to such development and how such stories unfold.

Chapter 3: Classes of the Realm

ADVENTURERS ARE EXTRAORDINARY people, driven by a thirst for excitement into a life that others would never dare lead. They are heroes, compelled to explore the dark places of the world and take on challenges that lesser women and men can't stand against.

Homebrew Classes

Additional classes—listed below in the Homebrew Classes table—are available to be used to augment the already existing classes.

Shield Hero

A dragonborn holds fast with her adamantine shield, charges bravely into a group of gorgon. An elf behind her, clad in studded leather armor, peppers the gorgons with enchanted arrows loosed from his exquisite bow. The human spearman shouts orders, helping the two combatants coordinate their assault to the best advantage.

A mage clad in a red dress looses a bolt of flames as a man stands between her and the enemies in front. He spreads words of encouragement and lends his strength to her, enabling her to strike true against their foes.

The shield hero is a party based class designed to take hits and keep his foes at arms reach from his comrades. Shield Heroes stare death in the face defiantly and strive forward, if only to protect those around them.

Class Features

As a shield hero, you gain the following class features.

Proficiencies

• Armor: All armor, shields
• Weapons: None
• Tools: Alchemist supplies, Herbalism kit

• Saving Throws: Constitution, Wisdom
• Skills: Choose two skills from Athletics, Insight, Medicine, Persuasion, Perception, or Survival

Equipment

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

• (a) a shield a and component pouch
• (a) scale mail, (b) leather armor, or (c) chain mail
• (a) A dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack

Spellcasting

Shield Heroes learn to draw upon divine magic through determination to protect who they hold close. See PHB. chapter 10 for general rules of spellcasting and page five for the shield hero spell list.

Iron Wall

A shield Hero knows that in order to protect others, they must be able to rise to any challenge they might face. As such they surround themselves with a defensive energy, lessening the effects of damage.

Starting at 2nd level you may use your action to enter a defensive state, during this state you gain resistance to all damage types. Your movement speed is also reduced by half. You remain in this defensive state until you take damage or choose to leave the state. The shield hero has to utilize his action every turn to keep the iron wall up.

Will of Heroes

At 3rd level, your will takes the shape of your ability to defend others. Choose the Will of Sacrifice or the Will of Steel, both detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, 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.

Deflect Missiles

Starting at 5th level, you can use your reaction to deflect the missile when you are hit by a ranged weapon attack. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your shield hero level.

If you reduce the damage to 0, you can utilize one of your defender die to deflect the missile at any target within 120 feet but must utilize the attack roll from the original creature.

Reactive Body

At 7th level, the constant physical strain of protecting your party gives you proficiency in the Acrobatics or Athletics skill.

Brace For Impact

Beginning at 13th level while you have a shield equipped, you cannot be pushed by creatures unless they are two size categories larger than you. Additionally, you have advantage on saving throws against being knocked prone or knocked back.

Bolstering presence

You are a beacon of inspiration, a point to rally behind. At 18th level you may spend your bonus action and a defender die to give temporary Hit Points equal to a roll on your defender die.

Unbreakable Shield

Your body and shield have become almost indistinguishable. You are ready to defend yourself and others without hesitation.

Starting at 20th level, you may use your Iron Wall feature as a Bonus Action and you regain a spent Defender die. Your speed also is no longer halved.

Will of Sacrifice

For some Shield Heroes, their body is a means to an end-that end being protecting their comrades. The Will of Sacrifice is a will of constant self harm where your well being comes last above all else. You become heedless of your own health or well-being, able to push beyond normal limits to protect those in need.

My body, the Shield

You know that to save a life you must be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice and use your own body to shield those who might need you.

Beginning at 10th level, as an action the shield hero chooses a member of his party. When that member is chose as a target from an attack and is within 60-foot the shield hero can forego his next turn to intervene. The shield hero appears between (if possible) the attacker and the party member and negates all damage and negative status effects targeting the party member. The attack then targets the shield hero. If the attack requires an attack roll, it is done at advantage against the shield hero. If the attack requires a saving throw, the shield hero makes it at disadvantage.

The shield hero gains one level of exhaustion after combat has ended.

Ultimate Sacrifice

Beginning at 14th level, the shield hero understands that in the darkest times, the ultimate sacrifice must be made. For the next 4 rounds of combat, all enemy attacks must be made at the shield hero. All attacks against the shield hero have advantage, and all saves the shield hero makes are made at disadvantage. If any attack forces a save from an ally, the ally makes the save at advantage.

The shield hero may use his defender die on himself during these four rounds.

Will of Steel

The Will of Steel brings the inherent resolve of the shield hero into physical form. He grants buffs to his allies with through sheer force of will and forces himself through the toughest obstacles.

Shield Hero Spells

Pale Master

The charred skeleton strides forward equipped with the equipment his master has given him while a small orc throws snide remarks towards his victims.

CHARACTER EXAMPLE

The pale master is a

Class Features

As a pale master, you gain the following class features.

Chalice of Requiems

“Everything that grows will wither and die” is the essence of all creation as understood by pale masters, but their methods for acting upon this ideal differs greatly. You choose a requiem, shaping your practice of necromancy through one of the four methods. Ash, Frost, Haunt, or Decay, all detailed at the end of the class description.

Your choice grants you additional spells and other features when you choose it at 1st level. It also grants you addition features that you gain at 3rd level, and additional benefits at 6th, 10th, and 14th,

Death's Whisper

Starting at 2nd level, you gain the ability to cast speak with dead as a ritual. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

Death's Vision

The undead who lurk in the dark begin to lose their mystery. You gain darkvision out to 60 feet (if you already have darkvision, its effective distance is increased by 30 feet).

Additionally you become proficient with the Religion skill if you are not already and you have advantage on all Religion skill checks if they are related to the undead.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, 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.

Deathless Vigor

At 6th level, your body becomes more akin to the undead you keep in your cohort. You become resistant to necrotic damage.

Additionally, you are able to reroll a failed Constitution saving throw but must take the second result. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (a minimum of once). You regain expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Thrall's Boon

At 10th level, the bond you share with your undead servant strengthens. Using your action, you are able to command your servant to use its reaction to touch a creature within 5 feet of it, delivering any of your spells or abilities with a range of touch.

You may use your combat statistics in place of your servant’s if they are greater.

Undead Acclimation

By 17th level, you have spent so much time dealing with undead and the powers of animation that you gain prowess over some of their most predominant effects.

When you are hit with an attack that deals critical damage, the attack does normal damage instead. Additionally, you are immune to necrotic damage and your hit point maximum cannot be reduced.

Necromastery

At 18th level, you have gained mastery over certain necromancy spells, allowing you to cast them at will.

Choose a 1st-level pale master spell and a 2nd-level pale master spell that are in your grimoire and belong to the necromancy school of magic. You can cast those spells at their lowest level without expending a spell slot when you have them prepared. If you want to cast either spell at a higher level, you must expend a spell slot as normal.

By spending 8 hours in study, you can exchange one or both of the spells you chose for different spells of the same levels.

Deathless Master's Touch

At 20th level, the pale master reaches to touch a living foe with his undead graft, expending the rest of his Undead Graft charges for the day he forces the creature to succeed on a Constitution saving throw or die. A slain creature automatically animates 1 round later as a zombie (see page 265 of the Monster Manual) and is under the pale master's control as if he had animated it. Undead created using this power do not count against a pale master's total for controlling undead.

Requiem of the Ash

Requiem of the Ash Pale Masters focus on extinguishing life through flames. They've expanded their necromancy prowess into utilizing small pieces of both healing magic and flames to aid in the process of turning creatures to ash, feeding into the cycle of life and death.

Expanded Spell List (Ash)

This requiem lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a new spell. The following spells are added to the Pale Master spell list for you.

Undead Servant (Cont.)

If your servant is ever slain, the magical bond you share allows you to return it to life. With 8 hours of work and the expenditure of 25 gp. worth of rare bone dust, you again enchant the pile of bones with magic to restore it to sentience. You can return the skeleton to undeath in this manner even if you do not possess all the remaining parts of its body.

Ashen Bond

Undead Servant. Your skeleton obeys your commands as best it can. It rolls for initiative like any other creature, but you determine its actions, decisions, attitudes, and so on. If you are incapacitated or absent, your servant acts on its own.

Your skeleton has abilities and game statistics determined in part by your level. Your servant uses your proficiency bonus rather than its own. The proficiency bonus applies to the areas where it would normally.

Keeping Track of Proficiency. When you gain your servant at 1st level, its proficiency bonus matches yours at +2. As you gain levels and increase your proficiency bonus, remember that your servant’s proficiency bonus improves as well, and is applied to the following areas: ability saving throw DC, proficient skills, proficient saving throws, and attack bonus.

Hit Points, Ability Scores & Skill Proficiency. For each pale master level you gain after 1st, your servant gains an additional hit die and increases its hit points accordingly.

Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement class feature, your servant’s abilities also improve. Your servant can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or it can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, your servant can’t increase an ability score above 20.

Alignment & Personality Traits. Your servant shares your alignment and ideal. Its bond, trait, and flaw are decided by you upon its creation. Here is an example:

Bond. I would gladly give my life for my beloved master.

Trait. I’m dauntless in the face of adversity.

Flaw. I tend to lose some of the bones that were used to create me, forcing my master to always search for more.

Undead Graft (Smouldering)

Upon reaching 3rd level, you graft a necrotic rune into your arm. After 24 hours, the flesh begins to burn away from your arm, leaving behind a charred, but forever smouldering appendage.

Your undead graft becomes a spellcasting focus for your magic, allowing you to cast spells with it and ignore material components that do not have a cost. Also, your graft is considered to be a simple weapon that you are proficient with, which deals 1d8 necrotic damage. When attacking with the graft, you can use your Strength or Intelligence modifier for the attack and damage rolls.

At 6th level, your graft counts as magical and gains a +1 bonus to melee attacks and damage. This increases to a +2 bonus at 12th level and a +3 bonus at 16th level.

Paralyzing Touch

At 6th level, when you make a melee attack using your undead graft against a target, it can cause paralysis. On a successful attack, the target takes an additional 2d8 necrotic damage and must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or become paralyzed for 1 minute.

The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

You can use this feature once per long rest at 6th level. You gain an additional use at 14th level. Expended uses are regained when you finish a long rest.

Greater Undead Servant

At 10th level, your understanding of necromantic magic allows you strengthen your servant’s power. Your servant gains two feats of your choosing from the following list: Alert, Charger, Moderately Armored, Resilient, Savage Attacker, or Skulker.

Reanimation

At 10th level, you gain the ability to focus your energy and reanimate your servant, forgoing the typical process. As a reaction, if your charred skeleton servant is within 120 feet of you and dies, you are able to raise it immediately with half of its total hit points.

Once you have used this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.

Ossien Armor

At 14th level, a touch from your skeletal graft can momentarily encase a target in bone to mitigate damage from an incoming attack. As a reaction, you can half the damage from a single source for a willing creature or target that you can see within 5 feet.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (a minimum of once). You regain expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Requiem of the Frost

Requiem of the Frost Pale Masters bring a cold gripping death to their foes. Harnessing the chill of winter, they are able conjure ice and snow on a whim.

Expanded Spell List (Frost)

This requiem lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a new spell. The following spells are added to the Pale Master spell list for you.

Undead Servant (Frozen Ghost)

At 1st level, you forge an Glacial Bond with the undead, allowing you to use your magic to animate one undead servant in the form of a frozen ghost.

With 8 hours of work, a handful of ice and a small sacrifice of your own blood, you complete a ritual that pulls a soul back from the afterlife and binds it into servitude as your faithful servant.

If your servant is ever slain, the magical bond you share allows you to return it to life. With 8 hours of work and the expenditure of 25 gp. worth of rare bone dust, you can again preform a ritual to pull your servant back to the material plane.

Glacial Bond

Undead Servant. Your ghost obeys your commands as best it can. It rolls for initiative like any other creature, but you determine its actions, decisions, attitudes, and so on. If you are incapacitated or absent, your companion acts on its own.

Your ghost has abilities and game statistics determined in part by your level. Your servant uses your proficiency bonus rather than its own. The proficiency bonus applies to the areas where it would normally.

Keeping Track of Proficiency. When you gain your servant at 1st level, its proficiency bonus matches yours at +2. As you gain levels and increase your proficiency bonus, remember that your servant’s proficiency bonus improves as well, and is applied to the following areas: ability saving throw DC, proficient skills, proficient saving throws, and attack bonus.

Hit Points, Ability Scores & Skill Proficiency. For each pale master level you gain after 1st, your servant gains an additional hit die and increases its hit points accordingly.

Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement class feature, your servant’s abilities also improve. Your servant can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or it can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, your servant can’t increase an ability score above 20.

Alignment & Personality Traits. Your servant shares your alignment and ideal. Its bond, trait, and flaw are decided by you upon its creation. Here is an example:

Bond. I would gladly give my life for my beloved master.

Trait. I actively seek out snowy places.

Flaw. I dislike the warmth and resist if my master forces me to leave the cold.

Undead Graft (Frostbite)

Upon reaching 3rd level, you graft a necrotic rune into your arm. After 24 hours, your arm succumbs to deep frostbite, leaving behind a dead deep purple appendage.

Your undead graft becomes a spellcasting focus for your magic, allowing you to cast spells with it and ignore material components that do not have a cost. Also, your graft is considered to be a simple weapon that you are proficient with, which deals 1d8 necrotic damage. When attacking with the graft, you can use your Strength or Intelligence modifier for the attack and damage rolls.

At 6th level, your graft counts as magical and gains a +1 bonus to melee attacks and damage. This increases to a +2 bonus at 12th level and a +3 bonus at 16th level.

Chilling Touch

At 6th level, when you make a melee attack using your undead graft against a target, it can cause paralysis. On a successful attack, the target takes an additional 2d8 necrotic damage and must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or suffer two levels of exhaustion.

If the target failed its save by 10 or more, it suffers three levels of exhaustion instead.

You can use this feature once per long rest at 6th level. You gain an additional use at 14th level. Expended uses are regained when you finish a long rest.

Greater Undead Servant

At 10th level, your understanding of necromantic magic allows you strengthen your servant’s power. Your servant gains two feats of your choosing from the following list: Alert, Dungeon Delver, Mobile, Observant, Resilient, or Skulker.

Splinter the Ice

Starting at 10th level, if your frozen ghost servant deals damage to a creature, you may use your reaction to deal 2d6 cold damage to the target if it is within 30 feet of you.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (a minimum of once). You regain expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Chilled to the Bone

At 14th level, whenever you deal cold damage to a target, it must make a Constitution saving throw or have its movement speed halved until the end of its next turn. This feature happens after other movement impairing effects have been applied.

Requiem of the Haunt

Requiem of the Haunt Pale Masters live in the shadows. They are able to spread their influence to snuff out light and enjoy terrifying their foes with thoughts of the unknown.

Expanded Spell List (Haunt)

This requiem lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a new spell. The following spells are added to the Pale Master spell list for you.

Undead Servant (Tenebrous Shadow)

At 1st level, you forge a Penumbra Bond with the undead, allowing you to use your magic to animate one undead servant in the form of a tenebrous shadow.

With 8 hours of work, a burning incense and a small sacrifice of your own blood, you complete a ritual that pulls a soul back from the afterlife and binds it into servitude as your faithful servant.

If your servant is ever slain, the magical bond you share allows you to return it to life. With 8 hours of work and the expenditure of 25 gp. worth of rare bone dust, you can again preform a ritual to pull your servant back to the material plane.

Penumbra Bond

Undead Servant. Your shadow obeys your commands as best it can. It rolls for initiative like any other creature, but you determine its actions, decisions, attitudes, and so on. If you are incapacitated or absent, your companion acts on its own.

Your shadow has abilities and game statistics determined in part by your level. Your servant uses your proficiency bonus rather than its own. The proficiency bonus applies to the areas where it would normally.

Keeping Track of Proficiency. When you gain your servant at 1st level, its proficiency bonus matches yours at +2. As you gain levels and increase your proficiency bonus, remember that your servant’s proficiency bonus improves as well, and is applied to the following areas: ability saving throw DC, proficient skills, proficient saving throws, and attack bonus.

Hit Points, Ability Scores & Skill Proficiency. For each pale master level you gain after 1st, your servant gains an additional hit die and increases its hit points accordingly.

Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement class feature, your servant’s abilities also improve. Your servant can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or it can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, your servant can’t increase an ability score above 20.

Alignment & Personality Traits. Your servant shares your alignment and ideal. Its bond, trait, and flaw are decided by you upon its creation. Here is an example:

Bond. I would gladly give my life for my beloved master.

Trait. I prefer dark and chilly places.

Flaw. A strong wind can blow me away, forcing my master to spend time searching for me.

Undead Graft (Mist)

Upon reaching 3rd level, you graft a necrotic rune into your arm. After 24 hours, dark strands of mist seep out of the pours in your arm, lingering in the air around the appendage.

Your undead graft becomes a spellcasting focus for your magic, allowing you to cast spells with it and ignore material components that do not have a cost. Also, your graft is considered to be a simple weapon that you are proficient with, which deals 1d8 necrotic damage. When attacking with the graft, you can use your Strength or Intelligence modifier for the attack and damage rolls.

At 6th level, your graft counts as magical and gains a +1 bonus to melee attacks and damage. This increases to a +2 bonus at 12th level and a +3 bonus at 16th level.

Dreadful Touch

At 6th level, when you make a melee attack using your undead graft against a target, it can cause profound trepidation. On a successful attack, the target takes an additional 2d8 necrotic damage and must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or its Wisdom Ability Score is reduced by 2d4 and it is blinded until the target completes a short or long rest.

You can use this feature once per long rest at 6th level. You gain an additional use at 14th level. Expended uses are regained when you finish a long rest.

Greater Undead Servant

At 10th level, your understanding of necromantic magic allows you strengthen your servant’s power. Your servant gains two feats of your choosing from the following list: Alert, Mage Slayer, Mobile, Skilled or Skulker.

Terror in the Night

Starting at 10th level, if your tenebrous shadow servant deals damage to a creature, you may use your reaction to force the target to succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you until the end of its next turn if it is within 30 feet of you.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (a minimum of once). You regain expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Secrecy of Shadow

Starting at 14th level, if you are hidden from a creature when you cast a spell on it, the creature has disadvantage on any saving throw it makes against the spell this turn or you have advantage to your spell's attack roll this turn. If the spell is cast using your Thrall’s Boon feature, only you need to be hidden from the target, not your servant.

Requiem of the Decay

Requiem of the Decay Pale Masters drain the very energy out of their victims while spreading death and decay upon the battle field.

Expanded Spell List (Decay)

This requiem lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a new spell. The following spells are added to the Pale Master spell list for you.

Undead Servant (Rotting Zombie)

At 1st level, you forge a Perishing Bond with the undead, allowing you to use your magic to animate one undead servant in the form of a rotting zombie.

With 8 hours of work, a corpse and a small sacrifice of your own blood, you complete a ritual that enchants the corpse with dark magic, raising it as an undead creature to become as your faithful servant.

If your servant is ever slain, the magical bond you share allows you to return it to life. With 8 hours of work and the expenditure of 25 gp. worth of rare bone dust, you again enchant a corpse with magic to restore it to sentience. You can return the zombie to undeath in this manner even if you do not possess all the remaining parts of its body.

Perishing Bond

Undead Servant. Your zombie obeys your commands as best it can. It rolls for initiative like any other creature, but you determine its actions, decisions, attitudes, and so on. If you are incapacitated or absent, your servant acts on its own.

Your zombie has abilities and game statistics determined in part by your level. Your servant uses your proficiency bonus rather than its own. The proficiency bonus applies to the areas where it would normally.

Keeping Track of Proficiency. When you gain your servant at 1st level, its proficiency bonus matches yours at +2. As you gain levels and increase your proficiency bonus, remember that your servant’s proficiency bonus improves as well, and is applied to the following areas: ability saving throw DC, proficient skills, proficient saving throws, and attack bonus.

Hit Points, Ability Scores & Skill Proficiency. For each pale master level you gain after 1st, your servant gains an additional hit die and increases its hit points accordingly.

Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement class feature, your servant’s abilities also improve. Your servant can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or it can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, your servant can’t increase an ability score above 20.

Alignment & Personality Traits. Your servant shares your alignment and ideal. Its bond, trait, and flaw are decided by you upon its creation. Here is an example:

Bond. I would gladly give my life for my beloved master.

Trait. I don’t find life outside the graveyard appealing.

Flaw. My master walks too quickly, leaving me behind.

Undead Graft (Decay)

Upon reaching 3rd level, you graft a necrotic rune into your arm. After 24 hours, the flesh on your arm begins to rot, forming pustules on the appendage.

Your undead graft becomes a spellcasting focus for your magic, allowing you to cast spells with it and ignore material components that do not have a cost. Also, your graft is considered to be a simple weapon that you are proficient with, which deals 1d8 necrotic damage. When attacking with the graft, you can use your Strength or Intelligence modifier for the attack and damage rolls.

At 6th level, your graft counts as magical and gains a +1 bonus to melee attacks and damage. This increases to a +2 bonus at 12th level and a +3 bonus at 16th level.

Weakening Touch

At 6th level, when you make a melee attack using your undead graft against a target, it can cripple a foe. On a successful attack, the target takes an additional 2d8 necrotic damage and must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or its Strength Ability Score is reduced by 2d4 and it is poisoned until the target completes a short or long rest.

You can use this feature once per long rest at 6th level. You gain an additional use at 14th level. Expended uses are regained when you finish a long rest.

Greater Undead Servant

At 10th level, your understanding of necromantic magic allows you strengthen your servant’s power. Your servant gains two feats of your choosing from the following list: Athlete, Durable, Grappler, Heavily Armored, Heavy Armor Master, Resilient, or Tough.

Undead Cohort

Starting at 10th level, any zombie that you create with a necromancy spell has 10 temporary hit points upon creation.

Additionally, your rotting zombie servant gains 10 temporary hit points whenever it makes an initiative roll.

Billowing Decay

At 14th level, if a humanoid dies while standing in a cloudkill spell that you cast, they become a zombie under your control at the end of your next turn and obey your mental commands.

The only action they can take is the Attack action, making one melee attack. The zombies last for 1 minute, after which time they collapse and die.

Charred Skeleton

The Ash Pale Master servant is a charred skeleton. Its skeletal form makes it unable to benefit from certain equipment or engage in two weapon fighting. It may use weapons or armor granted by its proficiencies, even if they are magical in nature so long as they do not require attunement. It cannot use any other magical equipment. The charred skeleton has the following features:
Armor: Light
Weapons: Simple weapons, shortswords
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Constitution
Skills: Acrobatics, Stealth
Dredged Breath DC: 8 + its Constitution modifier + its master’s proficiency bonus

Frozen Ghost

The Frost Pale Master servant is a frozen ghost. Its incorporeal nature makes it unable to benefit from using equipment. The frozen ghost has the following features:
Armor: None
Weapons: None
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
Skills: Intimidation, Stealth
Tendancy DC: 8 + its Charisma modifier + its master’s proficiency bonus

Tenebrous Shadow

The Haunt Pale Master servant is a tenebrous shadow. Its amorphous nature makes it unable to benefit from using equipment. The tenebrous shadow has the following features:
Armor: None
Weapons: None
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Wisdom
Skills: Insight, Stealth
Siphon Courage DC: 8 + its Wisdom modifier + it’s master’s proficiency bonus

Rotting Zombie

The Decay Pale Master servant is a rotting zombie. Its decayed form makes it unable to benefit from certain equipment or wield any weapons. It may use armor granted by its proficiencies, even if they are magical in nature so long as they do not require attunment. It cannot use any other magical equipment. The rotting zombie has the following features:
Armor: Light armor, medium
Weapons: None
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Skills: Athletics, Survival
Odor of Death DC: 8 + its Constitution modifier + its master’s proficiency bonus

Servant's Statblocks

Servant's Statblocks (Cont.)

Pale Master Spells

The Celestine

Mankind has always looked up to the stars for answers to his questions, if only to learn the secrets of what the future may bring. In the Demiplane of Dread, where the spheres of the heavens are not as restless as the shifting of the Misty lands beneath, the art of astrology has almost taken a spiritual bent. Throughout the Dread Realms, there are people known as Celestines, feared and respected as prophets and soothsayers who study the motions of the stars, who bring their heavenly secrets down to earth.

Class Features

As a celestine, you gain the following class features.

Chapter 4: Archetype

THE CLASS OPTIONS BELOW PROVIDE your adventurers with new archetypes for existing classes. These archetypes may include new mechanics or just cover a set of skills a class didn't have before.

Monastic Tradition

When you reach 3rd level, you commit yourself to a monastic tradition. Your tradition grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 6th, 11th, and 17th level.

Arcane Traditions

The study of wizardry is ancient, stretching back to the earliest mortal discoveries of magic. It is firmly established in the worlds of D&D, with various traditions dedicated to its complex study.

The most common arcane traditions in the mutiverse revolve around the schools of magic. Wizards through the ages have cataloged thousands of spells, grouping them into different categories called schools.

Chapter 5: Backgrounds of the Realm

EVERY STORY HAS A BEGINNING.
Your character's background reveals where you came from, how you became an adventurer, and your place in the world. Your fighter might have been a courageous knight or a grizzled soldier. Your wizard could have been a sage or an artisan. Your rogue might have gotten by as a guild thief or commanded audiences as a jester.

Choosing a background provides you with important story cues about your character's identity. The most important question to ask about your background is what changed? Why did you stop doing whatever your background describes and start adventuring? Where did you get the money to purchase your starting gear, or, if you come from a wealthy background, why don't you have more money? How did you learn the skills of your class? What sets you apart from ordinary people who share your background?

Eberron - Rising From the Last War -

Acquisitions Incorporated

Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft

Strixhaven - A Curriculum of Chaos

Homebrew Backgrounds

The following is a list of backgrounds I've curated or put together for use in my games.

Barkeep

Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name and they're always glad you came. As a barkeep, you're a charismatic fellow that knows how to deal with people. Whether you're the life of the party or simply an ear for someone who needs advice, people from all walks of life are drawn to your trustworthy nature.

Chapter 6: Feats of the Realm

A FEAT REPRESENTS A TALENT OR AN area of expertise that gives a character special capabilities. It embodies training, experience, and abilities beyond what a class provides.

At certain levels, your class gives you the Ability Score Improvement feature. Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking that feature to take a feat of your choice instead. You can take each feat only once, unless the feat's description says otherwise.

You must meet any prerequisite specified in a feat to take that feat. If you ever lose a feat's prerequisite, you can't use that feat until you regain that prerequisite. For example, the Grappler feat requires you to have a Strength of 13 or higher. If your Strength is reduced below 13 somehow—perhaps by a withering curse— you can't benefit from the Grappler feat until your Strength is restored.

Charger

When you use your action to Dash, you can use a bonus action to make one melee weapon attack or to shove a creature.

If you move at least 10 feet in a straight line immediately before taking this bonus action, you either gain a +5 bonus to the attack's damage roll (if you chose to make a melee attack and hit) or push the target up to 10 feet away from you (if you chose to shove and succeed).

Crossbow Expert

Thanks to extensive practice with the crossbow, you gain the following benefits:

• You ignore the loading quality of crossbows with which you are proficient.
• Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls.
• When you use the Attack action and attack with a one-handed weapon, you can use a bonus action to attack with a hand crossbow you are holding.

Defensive Duelist

Prerequisite: Dexterity 13 or higher
When you are wielding a finesse weapon with which you are proficient and another creature hits you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to add your proficiency bonus to your AC for that attack, potentially causing the attack to miss you.

Dual Wielder

You master fighting with two weapons, gaining the following benefits:

• You gain a +1 bonus to AC while you are wielding a separate melee weapon in each hand.
• You can use two-weapon fighting even when the one-handed melee weapons you are wielding aren't light.
• You can draw or stow two one-handed weapons when you would normally be able to draw or stow only one.

Dungeon Delver

Alert to the hidden traps and secret doors found in many dungeons, you gain the following benefits:

• You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) and Intelligence (Investigation) checks made to detect the presence of secret doors.
• You have advantage on saving throws made to avoid or resist traps.
• You have resistance to the damage dealt by traps.
• Traveling at a fast pace doesn’t impose the normal −5 penalty on your passive Wisdom (Perception) score.

Durable

Hardy and resilient, you gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Constitution score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• When you roll a Hit Die to regain hit points, the minimum number of hit points you regain from the roll equals twice your Constitution modifier (minimum 2).

Elemental Adept

Prerequisite: The ability to cast at least one spell
When you gain this feat, choose one of the following damage types: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder.

Spells you cast ignore resistance to damage of the chosen type. In addition, when you roll damage for a spell you cast that deals damage of that type, you can treat any 1 on a damage die as a 2.

You can select this feat multiple times. Each time you do so, you must choose a different damage type.

Grappler

Prerequisite: Strength 13 or higher
You've developed the skills necessary to hold your own in close-quarters grappling. You gain the following benefits:

• You have advantage on attack rolls against a creature you are grappling
• You can use your action to try to pin a creature grappled by you. To do so, make another grapple check. If you succeed, you and the creature are both restrained until the grapple ends.

Great Weapon Master

You've learned to put the weight of a weapon to your advantage, letting its momentum empower your strikes. You gain the following benefits:

• On your turn, when you score a critical hit with a melee weapon or reduce a creature to 0 hit points with one, you can make one melee weapon attack as a bonus action.
• Before you make a melee attack with a heavy weapon that you are proficient with, you can choose to take a -5 penalty to the attack roll. If the attack hits, you add +10 to the attack's damage.

Healer

You are an able physician, allowing you to mend wounds quickly and get your allies back in the fight. You gain the following benefits:

• When you use a healer's kit to stabilize a dying creature, that creature also regains 1 hit point.
• As an action, you can spend one use of a healer's kit to tend to a creature and restore 1d6+4 hit points to it, plus additional hit points equal to the creature's maximum number of Hit Dice. The creature can't regain hit points from this feat again until it finishes a short or long rest.

Heavily Armored

Prerequisite: Proficiency with medium armor
You have trained to master the use of heavy armor, gaining the following benefits:

• Increase your Strength score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You gain proficiency with heavy armor.

Heavy Armor Master

Prerequisite: Proficiency with heavy armor
You can use your armor to deflect strikes that would kill others. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Strength score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• While you are wearing heavy armor, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage that you take from nonmagical weapons is reduced by 3.

Inspiring Leader

Prerequisite: Charisma 13 or higher
You can spend 10 minutes inspiring your companions, shoring up their resolve to fight. When you do so, choose up to six friendly creatures (which can include yourself) within 30 feet of you who can see or hear you and who can understand you. Each creature can gain temporary hit points equal to your level + your Charisma modifier. A creature can't gain temporary hit points from this feat again until it has finished a short or long rest.

Keen Mind

You have a mind that can track time, direction, and detail with uncanny precision. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Intelligence score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You always know which way is north.
• You always know the number of hours left before the next sunrise or sunset.
• You can accurately recall anything you have seen or heard within the past month.

Lightly Armored

You have trained to master the use of light armor, gaining the following benefits:

• Increase your Strength or Dexterity score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You gain proficiency with light armor.

Linguist

You have studied languages and codes, gaining the following benefits:

• Increase your Intelligence score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You learn three languages of your choice.
• You can ably create written ciphers. Others can't decipher a code you create unless you teach them, they succeed on an Intelligence check (DC equal to your Intelligence Score + your proficiency bonus), or they use magic to decipher it.

Lucky

You have inexplicable luck that seems to kick in at just the right moment.

You have 3 luck points. Whenever you make an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, you can spend one luck point to roll an additional d20. You can choose to spend one of your luck points after you roll the die, but before the outcome is determined. You choose which of the d20s is used for the attack roll, ability check, or saving throw.

You can also spend one luck point when an attack roll is made against you. Roll a d20, and then choose whether the attack uses the attacker's roll or yours.

If more than one creature spends a luck point to influence the outcome of a roll, the points cancel each other out; no additional dice are rolled.

You regain your expended luck points when you finish a long rest.

Mage Slayer

You have practiced techniques useful in melee combat against spell casters, gaining the following benefits:

• When a creature within 5 feet of you casts a spell, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature.
• When you damage a creature that is concentrating on a spell, that creature has disadvantage on the saving throw it makes to maintain its concentration.
• You have advantage on saving throws against spells cast by creatures within 5 feet of you.

Magic Initiate

Choose a class: bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, warlock, or wizard. You learn two cantrips of your choice from that class's spell list.

In addition, choose one 1st-level spell to learn from that same list. Using this feat, you can cast the spell once at its lowest level, and you must finish a long rest before you can cast it in this way again.

Your spellcasting ability for these spells depends on the class you chose: Charisma for bard, sorcerer, or warlock; Wisdom for cleric or druid: or intelligence for wizard.

Martial Adept

You have martial training that allows you to perform special combat maneuvers. You gain the following benefits:

• You learn two maneuvers of your choice from among those available to the Battle Master archetype in the fighter class. If a maneuver you use requires your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver's effects, the saving throw DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice).
• You gain one superiority die, which is a d6 (this die is added to any superiority dice you have from another source). This die is used to fuel your maneuvers. A superiority die is expended when you use it. You regain your expended superiority dice when you finish a short or long rest.

Medium Armor Master

Prerequisite: Proficiency with medium armor
You have practiced moving in medium armor to gain the following benefits:

• Wearing medium armor doesn't impose disadvantage on your Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
• When you wear medium armor, you can add 3, rather than 2, to your AC if you have a Dexterity of 16 or higher.

Mobile

You are exceptionally speedy and agile. You gain the following benefits:

• Your speed increases by 10 feet.
• When you use the Dash action, difficult terrain doesn't cost you extra movement on that turn.
• When you make a melee attack against a creature, you don't provoke opportunity attacks from that creature for the rest of the turn, whether you hit or not.

Moderately Armored

Prerequisite: Proficiency with light armor
You have trained to master the use of medium armor and shields, gaining the following benefits:

• Increase your Strength or Dexterity score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You gain proficiency with medium armor and shields.

Mounted Combatant

You are a dangerous foe to face while mounted. While you are mounted and aren't incapacitated, you gain the following benefits:

• You have advantage on melee attack rolls against any unmounted creature that is smaller than your mount.
• You can force and an attack targeted at your mount to target you instead.
• If your mount is subject to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half-damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.

Observant

Quick to notice details of your environment, you gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Intelligence or Wisdom score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• If you can see a creature's mouth while it is speaking a language you understand, you can interpret what it's saying by reading its lips.
• You have a +5 bonus to your passive Wisdom (Perception) and a passive Intelligence (Investigation) scores

Polearm Master

You can keep your enemies at bay with reach weapons. You gain the following benefits:

• When you take the Attack action and attack with only a glaive, halberd, quarterstaff, or spear, you can use a bonus action to make a melee weapon attack with the opposite end of the weapon. The weapon's damage die for this attack is a d4, and the attack deals bludgeoning damage. This attack uses the same ability modifier as the primary attack.
• While you are wielding a glaive, halberd, pike, quarterstaff, or spear, other creatures provoke an opportunity attack from you when they enter your reach.

Resilient

Choose one ability score. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase the chosen ability score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You gain proficiency in saving throws using the chosen ability.

Ritual Caster

You have learned a number of spells that you can cast as rituals. These spells are written in a ritual book, which you must have in hand while casting one of them.

When you choose this feat, you acquire a ritual book holding two 1st-level spells of your choice. Choose one of the following classes; bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, warlock, or wizard. You must choose your spells from that class's spell list, and the spells you choose must have the ritual tag. The class you choose also determines your spellcasting ability for these spells; Charisma for bard, sorcerer, or warlock; Wisdom for cleric or druid; or Intelligence for wizard.

If you come across a spell in written form, such as a magical spell scroll or a wizard's spellbook, you might be able to add it to your ritual book. The spell must be on the spell list for the class you chose, the spell's level can be no higher than half your level (rounded up), and it must have the ritual tag. The process of copying the spell into your ritual book takes 2 hours per level of the spell, and costs 50 gp per level. The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it.

Savage Attacker

Once per turn when you roll damage for a melee weapon attack, you can reroll the weapon's damage dice and use either total.

Sentinel

You have mastered techniques to take advantage of every drop in any enemy's guard, gaining the following benefits:

• When you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, the creature's speed becomes 0 for the rest of the turn.
• Creatures provoke opportunity attacks from you even if they take the Disengage action before leaving your reach.
• When a creature within 5 feet of you makes an attack against a target other than you (and that target doesn't have this feat), you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against the attacking creature.

Sharpshooter

You have mastered ranged weapons and can make shots that others find impossible. You gain the following benefits:

• Attacking at long range doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged weapon attack rolls.
• Your ranged weapon attacks ignore half cover and three-quarters cover.
• Before you make an attack with a ranged weapon that you are proficient with, you can choose to take a -5 penalty to the attack roll. If the attack hits, you add +10 to the attack's damage.

Shield Master

You use shields not just for protection but also for offense. You gain the following benefits while you are wielding a shield:

• If you take the Attack action on your turn, you can use a bonus action to try to shove a creature within 5 feet of you with your shield.
• If you aren't incapacitated, you can add your shield's AC bonus to any Dexterity saving throw you make against a spell or other harmful effect that targets only you.
• If you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you can use your reaction to take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, interposing your shield between yourself and the source of the effect.

Skilled

You gain proficiency in any combination of three skills or tools of your choice.

Skulker

Prerequisite: Dexterity 13 or higher
You are expert at slinking through shadows. You gain the following benefits:

• You can try to hide when you are lightly obscured from the creature from which you are hiding.
• When you are hidden from a creature and miss it with a ranged weapon attack, making the attack doesn't reveal your position.
• Dim light doesn't impose disadvantage on your Wisdom (Perception) checks relying on sight.

Spell Sniper

Prerequisite: The ability to cast at least one spell
You have learned techniques to enhance your attacks with certain kinds of spells, gaining the following benefits:

• When you cast a spell that requires you to make an attack roll, the spell's range is doubled.
• Your ranged spell attacks ignore half cover and three-quarters cover.
• You learn one cantrip that requires an attack roll. Choose the cantrip from the bard, cleric, sorcerer, warlock, or wizard spell list. Your spellcasting ability for this cantrip depends on the spell list you chose from; Charisma for bard, sorcerer, or warlock; Wisdom for cleric or druid; or Intelligence for wizard.

Tavern Brawler

Accustomed to rough-and-tumble fighting using whatever weapons happen to be at hand, you gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Strength or Constitution score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You are proficient with improvised weapons.
• Your unarmed strikes uses a d4 for damage.
• When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike or an improved weapon on your turn, you can use a bonus action to attempt to grapple the target.

Tough

Your hit point maximum increases by an amount equal to twice your level whe nyou gain this feat. Whenever you gain a level thereafter, your hit point maximum increases by an additional 2 points.

War Caster

Prerequisite: The ability to cast at least one spell
You have practiced casting spells in the midst of combat, learning techniques that grant you the following benefits:

• You have advantage on Constitution saving throws that you make to maintain your concentration on a spell when you take damage.
• You can perform the somatic components of spells even when you have weapons or a shield in one or both hands.
• When a hostile creature's movement provokes an opportunity attack from you, you can use your reaction to cast a spell at the creature, rather than making an opportunity attack. The spell must have a casting time of 1 action and must target only that creature.

Weapon Master

You have practiced extensively with a variety of weapons, gaining the following benefits:

• Increase your Strength or Dexterity score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You gain proficiency with four weapons of your choice. Each one must be a simple or a martial weapon.

Artificer Initiate

You've learned some of an artificer's inventiveness:

• You learn one cantrip of your choice from the artificer spell list, and you learn one 1st-level spell of your choice from that list. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
• You can cast this feat's 1st-level spell without a spell slot, and you must finish a long rest before you can cast it in this way again. You can also cast the spell using any spell slots you have.

Chef

Time spent mastering the culinary arts has paid off, granting you the following benefits:

• Increase your Constitution or Wisdom score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You gain proficiency with cook's utensils if you don't already have it.
• As part of a short rest, you can cook special food, provided you have ingredients and cook's utensils on hand. You can prepare enough of this food for a number of creatures equal to 4 + your proficiency bonus. At the end of the short rest, any creature who eats the food and spends one or more Hit Dice to regain hit points regains an extra 1d8 hit points.

Crusher

You are practiced in the art of crushing your enemies, granting you the following benefits:

• Increase your Strength or Constitution by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• Once per turn, when you hit a creature with an attack that deals bludgeoning damage, you can move it 5 feet to an unoccupied space, provided the target is no more than one size larger than you.
• When you score a critical hit that deals bludgeoning damage to a creature, attack rolls against that creature are made with advantage until the start of your next turn.

Eldritch Adept

Prerequisite: Spellcasting or Pact Magic feature
Studying occult lore, you have unlocked eldritch power within yourself: you learn one Eldritch Invocation option of your choice from the warlock class. If the invocation has a prerequisite of any kind, you can choose that invocation only if you're a warlock who meets the prerequisite.

When you gain a level, you can replace the invocation with another one from the warlock class.

Fey Touched

Your exposure to the Feywild's magic has changed you, granting you the following benefits:

• Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You learn the misty step spell and one 1st-level spell of your choice. The 1st-level spell must be from the divination or enchantment school of magic. You can cast each of these spells without expending a spell slot. Once you cast either of these spells in this way, you can't cast that spell in this way again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast these spells using spell slots you have of the appropriate level. The spells' spellcasting ability is the ability increased by this feat.

Fighting Initiate

Prerequisite: Proficiency with a martial weapon
Your martial training has helped you develop a particular style of fighting. as a result, you learn one Fighting Style option of your choice from the fighter class. If you already have a style, the one you choose must be different.

Whenever you reach a level that grants the Ability Score Improvement feature, you can replace this feat's fighting style with another one from the fighter class that you don't have.

Gunner

You have a quick hand and keen eye when employing firearms, granting you the following benefits:

• Increase your Dexterity score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You gain proficiency with firearms (see "Firearms" in the Dungeon Master's Guide).
• You ignore the loading property of firearms.
• Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls.

Metamagic Adept

Prerequisite: Spellcasting or Pact Magic feature
You've learned how to exert your will on your spells to alter how they function:

• You learn two Metamagic options of your choice from the sorcerer class. You can use only one Metamagic option on a spell when you cast it, unless the option says otherwise. Whenever you reach a level that grants the Ability Score Improvement feature, you can replace one of these Metamagic options with another one from the sorcerer class.
• You gain 2 sorcery points to spend on Metamagic (these points are added to any sorcery points you have from another source but can be used only on Metamagic). You regain all spent sorcery points when you finish a long rest.

Piercer

You have achieved a penetrating precision in combat, granting you the following benefits:

• Increase your Strength or Dexterity by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• Once per turn, when you hit a creature with an attack that deals piercing damage, you can reroll one of the attack's damage dice, and you must use the new roll.
• When you score a critical hit that deals piercing damage to a creature, you can roll one additional damage die when determining the extra piercing damage the target takes.

Poisoner

You can prepare and deliver deadly poisons, granting you the following benefits:

• When you make a damage roll that deals poison damage, it ignores resistance to poison damage.
• You can apply poison to a weapon or piece of ammunition as a bonus action, instead of an action.
• You gain proficiency with the poisoner's kit if you don't already have it. With one hour of work using a poisoner's kit and expending 50 gp worth of materials, you can create a number of doses of potent poison equal to your proficiency bonus. Once applied to a weapon or piece of ammunition, the poison retains its potency for 1 minute or until you hit with the weapon or ammunition. When a creature takes damage from the coated weapon or ammunition, that creature must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or take 2d8 poison damage and become poisoned until the end of your next turn.

Shadow Touched

Your exposure to the shadowfell's magic has changed you, granting you the following benefits:

• Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You learn the invisibility spell and one 1st-level spell of your choice. The 1st-level spell must be from the illusion or necromancy school of magic. You can cast each of these spells without expending a spell slot. Once you cast either of these spells in this way, you can't cast that spell in this way again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast these spells using spell slots you have of the appropriate level. The spells' spellcasting ability is the ability increased by this feat.

Skill Expert

You have honed your proficiency with particular skills, granting you the following benefits:

• Increase one ability score of your choice by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You gain proficiency in one skill of your choice.
• Choose one skill in which you have proficiency. You gain expertise with that skill, which means your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with it. The skill you choose must be one that isn't already benefiting from a feature, such as Expertise, that doubles your proficiency bonus.

Slasher

You've learned where to cut to have the greatest results, granting you the following benefits:

• Increase your Strength or Dexterity by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• Once per turn, when you hit a creature with an attack that deals slashing damage, you can reduce the speed of the target by 10 feet until the start of your next turn.
• When you score a critical hit that deals slashing damage to a creature, you grievously wound it. Until the start of your next turn, the target has disadvantage on all attack rolls.

Telekinetic

You learn to move things with your mind, granting you the following benefits:

• Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You learn the mage hand cantrip. You can cast it without verbal or somatic components, and you can make the spectral hand invisible. If you already know this spell, its range increases by 30 feet when you cast it. Its spellcasting ability is the ability increased by this feat.
• As a bonus action, you can try to telekinetically shove one creature you can see within 30 feet of you. When you do so, the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + the ability modifier of the score increased by this feat) or be moved 5 feet toward you or away form you. A creature can willingly fail this save.

Telepathic

You awaken the ability to mentally connect with others, granting you the following benefits:

• Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You can speak telepathically to any creature you can see within 60 feet of you. Your telepathic utterances are in a language you know, and the creature understands you only if it knows that language. Your communication doesn't give the creature the ability to respond to you telepathically.
• You can cast the detect thoughts spell, requiring no spell slot or components, and you must finish a long rest before you can cast it this way again. Your spellcasting ability for the spell is the ability increased by this feat. If you have spell slots of 2nd level or higher, you can cast this spell with them.

Xanathar's Guide to Everything

Bountiful Luck

Prerequisite: Halffing
Your people have extraordinary luck, which you have learned to mystically lend to your companions when you see them falter. You're not sure how you do it; you just wish it, and it happens. Surely a sign of fortune's favor!

When an ally you can see within 30 feet of you rolls a 1 on the d20 for an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, you can use your reaction to let the ally reroll the die. The ally must use the new roll.

When you use this ability, you can't use your Lucky racial trait before the end of your next turn.

Dragon Fear

Prerequisite: Dragonborn
When angered, you can radiate menace. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Strength, Constitution, or Charisma score by l , to a maximum of 20.
• Instead of exhaling destructive energy, you can expend a use of your Breath Weapon trait to roar, forcing each creature of your choice within 30 feet of you to make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier). A target automatically succeeds on the save if it can't hear or see you. On a failed save, a target becomes frightened of you for 1 minute. If the frightened target takes any damage, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Dragon Hide

Prerequisite: Dragonborn
You manifest scales and claws reminiscent of your draconic ancestors. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Strength, Constitution, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• Your scales harden. While you aren't wearing armor, you can calculate your AC as 13 +your Dexterity modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.
• You grow retractable claws from the tips of your fingers. Extending or retracting the claws requires no action. The claws a re natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal s lashing damage equal to ld4 +your Strength modifier, instead of the normal bludgeoning damage for an unarmed s trike.

Drow High Magic

Prerequisite: Elf (drow)
You learn more of the magic typical of dark elves. You learn the detect magic spell and can cast it at will, without expending a spell slot. You also learn levitate and dispel magic, each of which you can cast once without expending a spell s l.ot. You regain the ability to cast those two spells in this way when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for a ll three spells.

Dwarven Fortitude

Prerequisite: Dwarf
You have the blood of dwarf heroes flowing through your veins. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Constitution score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• Whenever you take the Dodge action in combat, you can spend one Hit Die to heal yourself. Roll the die, add your Constitution modifier, and regain a number of hit points equal to the total (minimum of 1).

Elven Accuracy

Prerequisite: Elf or half-elf
The accuracy of elves is legendary, especially that of elf archers and spellcasters. You have uncanny aim with attacks that rely on precision rather than brute force. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• Whenever you have advantage on an attack roll using Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, you can reroll one of the dice once.

Fade Away

Prerequisite: Gnome
Your people are clever, with a knack for illusion magic. You have learned a magical trick for fading away when you suffer harm. You gain the following benefits:

Fey Teleportation

Prerequisite: Elf (high)
Your study of high elven lore has unlocked fey power that few other elves possess, except your eladrin cousins. Drawing on your fey ancestry, you can momentarily stride through the Feywild to shorten your path from one place to another. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Intelligence or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You learn to speak, read, and write Sylvan.
• You learn the misty step spell and can cast it once without expending a spell slot. You regain the ability to cast it in this way when you finish a short or long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

Flames of Phlegethos

Prerequisite: Tiefling
You learn to call on hellfire to serve your commands . You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Intelligence or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• When you roll fire damage for a spell you cast, you can reroll any roll of 1 on the fire damage dice, but you must use the new roll, even if it is another 1.
• Whenever you cast a spell that deals fire damage, you can cause Flames to wreathe you until the end of your next turn. The flames don't harm you or your possessions, and they shed bright light out to 30 feet and dim light for an additional 30 feet. While the flames are present, any creature within 5 feet of you that hits you with a melee attack takes ld4 fire damage.

Infernal Constitution

Prerequisite: Tiefiing
Fiendish blood runs strong in you, unlocking a resilience a kin to that possessed by some fiends. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Constitution score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You have resistance to cold damage and poison damage.
• You have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned.

Orcish Fury

Prerequisite: Half-orc
Your inner fury burns tirelessly. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Strength or Constitution score by 1, to a maximum of 20.

• When you hit with an attack using a simple or martial weapon, you can roll one of the weapon's damage dice an additional time and add it as extra damage of the weapon's damage type. Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
• Immediately after you use your Relentless Endurance trait, you can use your reaction to make one weapon attack.

Prodigy

Prerequisite: Half-elf, half-orc, or human
You have a knack for learning new things. You gain the following benefits:

• You gain one skill proficiency of your choice, one tool proficiency of your choice, and fluency in one language of your choice.
• Choose one skill in which you have proficiency. You gain expertise with that skill, which means your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with it. The skill you choose must be one that isn't already benefiting from a feature, such as Expertise, that doubles your proficiency bonus.

Second Chance

Prerequisite: Halfing
Fortune favors you when someone tries to strike you. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Dexterity, Constitution, or Charisma score by l, to a maximum of 20.
• When a creature you can see hits you with an attack roll, you can use your reaction to force that creature to reroll. Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you roll initiative at the start of combat or until you finish a short or long rest.

Squat Nimbleness

Prerequisite: Dwarf or a Small race
You are uncommonly nimble for your race. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Strength or Dexterity score by l, to a maximum of 20.
• Increase your walking speed by 5 feet.
• You gain proficiency in the Acrobatics or Athletics skill (your choice).
• You have advantage on any Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check you make to escape from being grappled.

Wood Elf Magic

Prerequisite: Elf (wood)
You learn the magic of the primeval woods, which are revered and protected by your people. You learn one druid can trip of your choice. You also learn the longstrider and pass without trace spells, each of which you can cast once without expending a spell slot. You regain the ability to cast these two spells in this way when you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for all three spells .

Eberron - Rising From the Last war -

Strixhaven - A Curriculum of Chaos

Homebrew Feats

The following is a list of feats I've curated or put together for use in my games. This expands racial feats to those races that were left out by Xanathar's Guide to Everything, along with feats for certain classes or builds that were left out.

Thrown Weapon Master

Prerequisites: Dexterity 13 or higher

Your extensive training of throwing weapons gain you the following benefits:

• Increase your Strength or Dexterity score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• Your attacks with thrown weapons that deal damage have an increased effective range of 60 and maximum range of 120.
• When you hit a creature with a ranged weapon attack, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on that creature's next attack roll.

Angelic Protection

Prerequisite: Aasimar
The innate resistance to magic that angels possess extends to you. You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Dao Heritage

Prerequisite: Genasi (earth)
You manifest more of the magical power of your dao heritage. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Strength or Constitution score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You learn the detect magic spell and can cast it at will, without expending a spell slot.
• You gain natural armor. While you aren’t wearing armor, you can calculate your AC as 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.

Djinn Heritage

Prerequisite: Genasi (air)
You manifest more of the magical power of your djinn heritage. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Dexterity or Constitution score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You learn the detect magic spell and can cast it at will, without expending a spell slot.
• You have resistance to lightning and thunder damage.

Efreet Heritage

Prerequisite: Genasi (fire)
You manifest more of the magical power of your efreet heritage. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Constitution or Intelligence score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You learn the detect magic spell and can cast it at will, without expending a spell slot.
• Your darkvision has a radius of 120 feet.

Feline Grace

Prerequisite: Tabaxi
Your incredible reflexes and agility further improve. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Dexterity score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You can use your Feline Agility trait twice before you must move 0 feet on one of your turns to use the trait again. You can still only use this ability once per turn when you move.
• You don’t take damage from falling 20 feet or less if you aren’t incapacitated.

Firbolg Beast Magic

Prerequisite: Firbolg
Your connection to animals deepens. You learn the speak with animals spell and can cast it at will, without expending a spell slot. You also learn the animal friendship and beast sense spells, each of which you can cast once without expending a spell slot. You regain the ability to cast these two spells in this way when you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for all three spells.

Like a Boss

Prerequisite: Goblin
You are accustomed to using others to avoid being attacked. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Dexterity score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• When a creature you can see targets you with an attack and another creature is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. Once you use this ability, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Marid Heritage

Prerequisite: Genasi (water)
You manifest more of the magical power of your marid heritage. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Constitution or Wisdom score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You learn the detect magic spell and can cast it at will, without expending a spell slot.
• You have resistance to cold damage.

Master of Mimicry

Prerequisite: Kenku
You have learned to temporarily mimic even the training of others. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Dexterity or Wisdom score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• Whenever another creature you can see uses a skill or tool, you can use your reaction to gain proficiency in that skill or tool. Proficiencies gained in this way last for 1 hour, and you can only mimic one proficiency at a time. Once you use this ability, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Mountain’s Endurance

Prerequisite: Goliath
Your ability to shrug off some injuries is legendary, even for your race. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Strength or Constitution score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• When you use your Stone’s Endurance trait as a reaction to reduce damage, instead of rolling a d12 and adding your Constitution modifier, you can choose to gain resistance to the triggering attack’s damage type until the start of your next turn. If the triggering attack deals more than one type of damage, choose one. As normal, after you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Serpent Form

Prerequisite: Yuan-ti Pureblood
You have unlocked more of your serpentfolk heritage. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Intelligence or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You can use an action to polymorph into a Medium snake or back into your true form. Your statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment you are wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. If you die, you stay in your current form.
• While in snake form, you gain a bite attack as a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. When you hit with a bite attack, you can choose to deal 2d6 additional poison damage to the target. Once you deal this poison damage, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

Sky Warden

Prerequisite: Aarakocra
You are trained for both scouting the skies and aerial combat. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Dexterity or Wisdom score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You gain proficiency in the Perception skill if you don’t already have it. You add double your proficiency bonus to Perception checks that rely on sight.
• Once per turn, if you are flying and dive at least 30 feet straight toward a target and then hit it with a melee weapon attack, the attack deals an extra 1d6 damage to the target.

Tanarukk Blood

Prerequisite: Orc
Through fell magic or an ancestor, you are touched by the corruptive power of Baphomet. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Strength or Constitution score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You have resistance to fire and poison damage.
• You gain a bite attack as a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Tortle Protector

Prerequisite: Tortle
You have mastered using your shell to better protect yourself and others. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Strength or Wisdom score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• Your natural armor trait now provides a base AC of 18. As normal, your Dexterity modifier doesn’t affect this number.
• As a reaction when you are forced to make a Dexterity saving throw, choose any number of creatures within 5 feet of you. Each chosen creature is considered to have half-cover against any harmful attacks or effects while within 5 feet of you until the start of your next turn. Once you use this ability, you can’t do so again until you’ve finished a short or long rest.

Touch of Sess’inek

Prerequisite: Lizardfolk
You embody the demonic bearing of a lizard king or queen. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Constitution or Wisdom score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You learn to speak, read, and write Abyssal.
• You are immune to being frightened.

Triton Deep Magic

Prerequisite: Triton
You master more of the magic of elemental air and water. You learn the create or destroy water spell and can cast it as a 1st level spell at will, without expending a spell slot. You also learn warding wind and water breathing, each of which you can cast once without expending a spell slot. You regain the ability to cast those two spells in this way when you finish a long rest. Cha-risma is your spellcasting ability for all three spells.

Uphold the Legion

Prerequisite: Hobgoblin
You were born for life in the legion. You gain the follow-ing benefits:

• Increase your Constitution or Intelligence score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You can deal an extra 2d6 damage to a creature you hit with a weapon attack if that creature is within 5 feet of an ally that isn’t incapacitated. You can use this trait only once per combat.
• You can extend the benefit of your Saving Face trait to an ally. As a reaction, if an ally misses with an attack roll or fails an ability check or a saving throw, you can grant a bonus to the roll equal to the number of allies your ally can see within 30 feet (including you, maximum bonus of +5). As normal, once you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Urd Wings

Prerequisite: Kobold
You manifest leathery wings, transforming into an urd. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Dexterity score by 1, to a max-imum of 20.
• You gain a flying speed of 30 feet. To use this speed, you can't be wearing medium or heavy armor.

Well-Rested

Prerequisite: Bugbear
Your practiced napping leaves you invigorated when you are awake. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Strength or Dexterity score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• Whenever you spend one or more hit dice during a short rest, you can regain an extra 1d6 hit points.
• At the end of a long rest, you gain inspiration (described in chapter 4 of the Player’s Handbook).

Companion Spirit

Prerequisites: Aasimar Race
A minor, helpful spirit has been sent by your angelic guide to take refuge in your soul and aid you on your mission:

• The spirit has hit points equal to your level + 1d8. It can not die, but will go dormant and require rest when reduced to 0 hit points.
• The spirit is embedded within you and occupies your space. Whenever you take damage, you may freely divide the damage between yourself and the spirit. The spirit can not receive damage otherwise.
• The spirit can expend a measure of its vitality to enhance your powers. Whenever you heal a creature or deal radiant or necrotic damage, you can add one extra d8 to the healing or damage dealt to one creature. The spirit loses this amount of hit points, if the spirit is reduced to 0 hit points by this roll, all excess is subtracted from your hit points.

Deft Evasion

Prerequisite: Goblin

• Your Dexterity or Constitution score increases by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• In addition, you can use your bonus action to increase your speed by 5 feet until the end of your turn. Until then, opportunity attacks you provoke have disadvantage if the creature attacking is larger than you.
• You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Dexterity modifier (a minimum of once), regaining all expended uses upon finishing a long rest.