Credits
Thanks to GM Binder for allowing me to format this so nicely.
Also thanks to Weirdo Whoever for creating their artificer class which I used to help formating, and /u/Charrmeleon who crated the scholar class which I drew inspiration and used wording from.
And a great deal of thanks to the Discord of Many Things which helped me immensely with this project. If you are struggling with your own homebrew, I highly recommend you give them a look!
What Happened?
The class just completed a big overhaul to version 15, if you were using a previous version and wish to continue to do so, look at the bottom of the class document to find time-frozen links to previous class versions.
Watcher
A mail clad warrior surveys the battlefield. They note the positions of the enemies, and watch their skill with the blade. They see an opening, and take it. Exploiting the weaknesses they spotted in the enemy's swordsmanship, they swiftly maneuver to the back lines where they spot the general. The general draws a blade to fight, unaware the fight is already over. The warrior knows every move they are about to make.
A tiefling approaches the guarded keep in broad daylight. Archers look over the side of the walls on vigilant watch, scanning the numerous bodies full of arrows that they have already felled but don't notice the bright blue tiefling walk through the front door. The blue intruder makes her way unimpeded through the keep, searching rooms until they find the hostage guarded by two powerful guards in full plate. The guards stand stoically as the tiefling picks up the hostage, and whispers an incantation before vanishing in a puff of smoke. "See? It sometimes is as easy as walking in the front door," she jokes to the freed prisoner, who only now realized she was here.
The battle had taken a sudden turn, and despite every advantage somehow the bandits defending the wall couldn't manage to land a single arrow. Ever since the shielded combatant had arrived, nothing seemed to work right. But there was one final trick, as the adventurers approached the front gate and opened it, a set of explosive traps were detonated, sending countless pieces of shrapnel flying. But as the smoke cleared, it seemed fate still had its favorite as the party had hardly a scratch.
The watchers are experienced warriors and mages who have learned how to turn simple understanding into powerful attacks and spells. A watcher's specialty is making openings in hopeless situations, and poking holes in enemy strategies.
To Watch the World Unfold
Watchers pursue understanding just as a wizard hunts knowledge. To know the world and the creatures which inhabit it is their greatest goal, leading most watchers into a life of adventure. A watcher never stops pursuing wisdom, never stopping to settle down. The slower their lives become, the stronger their desire to journey forth becomes.
Creating a Watcher
When creating a watcher, it is important to know who you were before you took the path of the watcher. Were you a simple warrior, a doctor, or an urchin? Was the mantle of watcher thrust upon you by a mentor, or did you find and choose this path yourself?
A watcher can be any alignment, but they are never lazy. Sometimes they are driven by a single question or goal, while others are driven by the desire to understand everything they can. What do you search the world for? Why?
Quick Build
You can make a watcher quickly by following these suggestions. First, Wisdom should be your highest ability score, followed by Strength, or Dexterity. Second, choose the Soldier or Acolyte background.
Watcher Table
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Understood Bonus |
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Eyes from Beyond, Trained Eye, Understanding, Unerring Mark | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Fighting Style, Peace of Mind, Spellcasting | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | Prying Eyes, Watcher Specialty feature | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack, Picked Apart | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | The Watcher's Gaze, Mimic | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | Watcher Specialty feature | 3 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | Eye for an Eye | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | Eyes from Further Beyond | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | Watcher Specialty feature | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | — | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 14th | +5 | Psychosis | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 15th | +5 | Watcher Specialty feature | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Piercing Gaze, Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | +6 | — | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | Supreme Understanding | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20th | +6 | Complete Comprehension | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Class Features
As a Watcher, you gain the following class features
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d10 per Watcher level
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per Watcher level after 1st
Proficiencies
- Armor: light armor, medium armor, shields
- Weapons: simple weapons, hand crossbows, longbow, longswords, rapiers, shortswords
- Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
- Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Athletics, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Religion, Survival
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a longsword, or (b) any simple weapon
- (a) a hand crossbow with 20 bolts or (b) 3 javelins
- (a) leather armor or (b) a chain shirt
- (a) a diplomat's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
- an arcane symbol, a simple weapon, and a shield
Eyes from Beyond
At 1st level as you begin to learn the ways of the watcher, your eyes become far more perceptive and you begin to understand that which you never noticed.
- You gain darkvision for 60 feet. If you already had darkvision, increase it's range by 30 feet.
- You gain proficiency in Perception.
- You add double your proficiency bonus to all Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
- You can take the Search action as a bonus action.
Trained Eye
Also at 1st level, one of the first things you have mastered is the art of dissecting a foe as it fights. As a bonus action, choose a creature you can see. You consider that creature understood for 1 minute, or until the target dies.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, after which you must take a short or long rest to use this feature again.
Understanding
You always have an edge when fighting an understood foe. At 1st level, the first weapon attack roll you make on your turn against an understood creature gains a +2 bonus. If you are targeted by an understood creature you see, you can use your reaction to gain a +2 bonus to your AC and saving throws until the end of that creature's turn.
This bonus increases as you level, as shown in the Understood Bonus column of the Watcher table.
Unerring Mark
Also at 1st level, you can cast the hunter's mark spell. Once you cast it with this trait, you must complete a short or long rest before you can do so again.
A creature under the effects of hunter's mark cast by you is also considered understood for the duration of the spell.
At 2nd level, it is considered a watcher spell, you always have it prepared, and it doesn't count against the number of spells you can prepare each day.
Fighting Style
At 2nd level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take the same Fighting Style option more than once, even if you get to choose again.
Agile Marksman
When you are wielding a ranged weapon in both hands and are not wearing medium or heavy armor, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
Arcane Discipline
You learn two cantrips of your choice from the wizard or bard spell list. They count as watcher spells for you, and Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for them. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of these cantrips with another cantrip from the wizard or bard spell list.
Defense
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
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.
Protection
When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a shield.
Two-Weapon Fighting
When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.
If you have TCE, you also have the additional options of Blind Fighting, Interception, and Superior Technique
Spellcasting
By the time you reach 2nd level, you have learned to use your perceptive power to cast watcher spells. See chapter 10 for the general rules of spellcasting and the bottom of the class sheet for the watcher spell list.
Spell Slots
The Watcher table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of first level or higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a spell slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
Preparing and Casting Spells
The Watcher table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells. To cast one of your watcher spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
You prepare the list of watcher spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the watcher spell list. When you do so, choose a number of watcher spells equal to your Wisdom modifier + half your watcher level, rounded down (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
For example, if you are a 5th-level watcher, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With a Wisdom of 14, your list of prepared spells can include four spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare a 1st-level spell, and you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn’t remove it from your list of prepared spells.
You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of watcher spells requires time spent in silent meditation: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
Spellcasting Ability
Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your watcher spells. Your magic comes from your powerful understanding of the world. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a watcher spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +
your Wisdom modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus +
your Wisdom modifier
Spellcasting Focus
You can use an arcane symbol of an eye as a spellcasting focus for your watcher spells. You must wear it visibly, or bear it on a shield.
Ritual Casting
You can cast a watcher spell as a ritual if that spell has a ritual tag and you have that spell prepared.
Prying Eyes
Watchers keep watch on their foe, but to be seen is a feeling that watchers also know well. At 3rd level as an action, you can focus your senses to detect unwanted attention. If any creature within 60 feet of you is focusing it's eyes and attention on you, you are immediately aware of it and its location. If the observer is invisible or magically created (such as a the arcane eye spell's sensor, or a creature summoned by find familiar) you are instead only aware that you are being watched, but not the creature's location.
After using this ability, you must complete a short or long rest before you can use it again.
Watcher Specialty
At 3rd level, you choose a specialty to focus on. Your choice grants features at 3rd level, and again at 7th, 11th, and 15th level.
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.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th Level, you can Attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on Your Turn.
Picked Apart
Also at 5th level, when you first understand a creature, you can choose one piece of information from the following list. The DM will tell you the related information about the creature.
- Highest ability score
- Lowest ability score
- Whether the creature has more than half of its maximum hit points
- If any, one random vulnerability, resistance, or immunity (your choice)
The Watcher's Gaze
At 6th level you learn how to focus your power into special abilities. You learn two Gaze abilities of your choice. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Gaze abilities you know and replace it with another Gaze ability that you could learn at that level. A level prerequisite in a Gaze Ability refers to watcher level, not character level.
Using a Gaze ability that requires an action can replace one of your attacks.
Mimic
At 6th level, you have studied the way creatures move and react to danger, and can now mimic its response. If you fail a saving throw which at least one other creature also subjected to the effect succeeded, you may choose to attempt the saving throw again.
Once you use this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Eye for an Eye
At 9th level, when you land a critical hit with a weapon, the target must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or become blinded by your magic until the end of your next turn.
Eyes From Further Beyond
At 10th level your vision improves even further.
- You can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, to a distance of 60 feet.
- You can add double your proficiency bonus for Wisdom (insight) checks made to determine if a creature is lying.
- You open your third eye, and can now learn a total of three gaze abilities instead of two.
- Your eyes can be used as a spellcasting focus in place of your arcane symbol for watcher spells, and you can ignore somatic components in spells cast with your eyes.
Psychosis
At 14th level as an action, you summon countless eyes in the air and on surfaces around you which gaze maddeningly at creatures of your choice within 30 feet, forcing each to make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. Choose one of the following effects.
- Stricken. A stricken creature is blinded and deafened.
- Muddled. A muddled creature automatically fails Perception checks and can't gain any benefit from blindsight or truesight.
- Silenced. A silenced creature can't speak or concentrate on spells.
On failure, a creature is subjected to the condition you chose for 1 minute or until you end the effect as a bonus action. On success, a creature is subjected to the condition you chose until the end if its next turn. Affected creatures can use their action to try to push your influence away, allowing it to repeat the saving throw. On success, the effect ends on that creature.
When you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Piercing Gaze
At 16th level, your sight becomes so powerful that even physical obstructions do not limit your sight. As an action, you can see through most barriers up to a range of 60 feet for 1 minute, but are blocked by 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Supreme Understanding
At 18th level you have mastered your ability to learn a creature's skills in combat. When using Picked Apart you can choose two choices from the list instead of one.
Additionally, if using Picked Apart could reveal multiple traits, such as multiple resistances, you learn all of the traits instead of a random one.
Complete Comprehension
At 20th level, you have learned how to completely dissect the strengths and weaknesses of your foe with just a glance. When you understand a creature, you can choose to use this ability on it as well. All of your attacks have advantage against the creature, and the creature has disadvantage on all saving throws you force it to make. Additionally, every weapon attack you make that hits this creature is considered a critical hit. This effect lasts as long as the creature remains understood.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Watcher Specialties
Watchers come from many different places and are good at many different things. There are currently three specialties for watchers: the True Watcher, the Watchblade, and the Seer.
True Watcher
Watchers who's focus is purely on their purpose are given the title of True Watchers. True Watchers appear as pacifists to others, while in reality they are waiting for the right moment to strike.
Ever Watchful
When you choose this specialty at 3rd level, your understanding of a creature grants you insight into its company. Once a turn when you understand a creature, you can choose an ally of that creature within 30 feet of it you can see. You understand that creature as well for 1 minute.
Deep Understanding
Also at 3rd level, your understanding goes deeper than physical. When interacting with an understood creature, you can add your Understood Bonus to any ability check you make.
All Eyes on You
As an action at 11th level, thousands of magical eyes appear around you, flitting about and taking in information about all creatures near you. The eyes remain for 1 minute, or until you choose to dismiss them (no action required). While the eyes remain, all creatures within 60 feet of you that you can see are considered understood. You have advantage on all attacks made against creatures understood in this way.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Eyes of Truth
At 15th level, your eyes can see the world and the creatures within it with clearer eyes than ever. You gain truesight at a range of 60 feet.
You also gain immunity to the Charmed and Frightened condition, having seen and heard it all.
Watchblade
The warriors of the watchers are known as the Watchblades. They use their powerful eyes to spot openings in combat and weaknesses in an enemy's defense.
Live Dissection
At 3rd level, after dealing damage with a weapon attack against a creature you do not currently understand, you can choose to understand the creature. The creature remains understood until the start of your next turn.
Push the Advantage
Also at 3rd level, when you damage a creature you understand with a weapon attack, you deal additional damage equal to your Understood Bonus.
Flow of Battle
At 7th level, you have learned how to turn dodging one attack into dodging them all. If a hostile creature misses an attack against you, you can use your reaction to instantly take the dodge action.
Perfect Opening
At 11th level, you can spot rare but advantageous moments in combat to exploit. As an action, you move in a straight line in a direction of your choice a number of feet equal to your walking speed. You can make a melee attack against every creature or object that comes into your melee range during this movement, and your reach with melee weapons is considered 10 feet if it is not already higher. Any opportunity attack made against you while moving in this way is made with disadvantage.
If the direction chosen would not allow you to move your full movement, you instead move the maximum possible distance. You can use this action only if you haven't moved during this turn, and after you use the action, your speed is 0 until the end of the current turn.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Critical Understanding
At 15th level, you know exactly how to make the most out of an attack against an enemy you understand. Attacks against an understood creature score a critical hit on a roll of 18-20.
Seer
Most watchers simply look around to learn about the world they live in, but seers are different. They seek to learn more about the world than the present can tell, and have found ways to peer into the near future to unleash new kinds of power.
Comprehend Beyond
At 3rd level, when you cast a divination spell from the watcher spell list, you can target up to three creatures within 60 feet of yourself. The targets are considered understood until the end of your next turn as you peer into the possible future and glean insight into the creatures' potential.
If the spell was a cantrip, you only target one creature instead of three.
Stolen Fate
Also at 3rd level, you have learned how to give luck from one creature to another. As a reaction when an understood or willing creature is about to make an attack roll or ability check with advantage, you cause that roll to loose its advantage. As part of that same reaction choose a creature within 30 feet of yourself. That creature has advantage on the next attack roll or ability check it makes.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier. When you finish a long rest, you regain all expended uses.
Foreseen
At 7th level, your ability to sense the near future allows you to anticipate danger and counter it. When you or a non-hostile creature within 15 feet of yourself take damage, you can use your reaction to reduce the severity of the damage, causing all creatures within 15 feet of yourself to instead take the minimum possible roll of that damage.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Bend Fate
At 11th level, you have learned how to not only see into the future, but how to change it. If you or a creature you can see makes an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can choose to give it advantage or disadvantage (your choice). This can be done even after a result is determined as you were only seeing a possible future.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Diviner
At 15th level, you can choose three divination spells in any spell list from 1st to 3rd level. These spells become watcher spells for you and are always prepared, and do not count against your maximum prepared spells. You may cast each chosen spell once at its lowest level without using a spell slot, and regain the ability to do so when you complete a long rest.
Watcher Spells
Spells not from the PBH have their source listed, ND is my homebrew New Dawn spells.
1st Level
- alarm
- (XGE) cause fear
- color spray
- command
- compelled duel
- cure wounds
- detect evil and good
- detect magic
- detect poison and disease
- disguise self
- faerie fire
- find familiar
- identify
- (ND) presence of mind
- sleep
- tasha's hideous laughter
- (XGE) zephyr strike
2nd Level
- alter self
- blindness/deafness
- blur
- continual flame
- crown of madness
- detect thoughts
- find traps
- invisibility
- knock
- lesser restoration
- levitate
- locate object
- (XGE) mind spike
- mirror image
- misty step
- pass without trace
- (ND) power word pause
- (ND) reposition
- see invisibility
- silence
- suggestion
3rd Level
- blinding smite
- blink
- clairvoyance
- counterspell
- (XGE) enemies abound
- fly
- (ND) focus
- gaseous form
- glyph of warding
- haste
- hypnotic pattern
- major image
- nondetection
- protection from energy
- revivify
- sending
- slow
- (ND) twist fate
- (XGE)thunder step
- water breathing
4th Level
- arcane eye
- banishment
- confusion
- death ward
- dimension door
- divination
- dominate beast
- fabricate
- freedom of movement
- greater invisibility
- hallucinatory terrain
- locate creature
- phantasmal killer
- (ND) smoke and mirrors
- stoneskin
- (ND) withdraw
5th Level
- animate objects
- circle of power
- contact other plane
- creation
- dominate person
- (ND) from whence one came
- geas
- legend lore
- (ND) mind shield
- mislead
- passwall
- (XGE) steel wind strike
- telekinesis
- wall of force
Gaze Abilities
Arcane Meditation
When you complete a short rest, you can recover one 1st level spell slot. Once you use this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.
Charming Personality
You learn the spell charm person. You always have this spell prepared and it doesn't count against the number of Spells you can prepare each day. You can cast it once without expending a spell slot, and can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Defenses Laid Bare
Your weapon attacks ignore resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing. In addition, you treat your weapons as magical for the purposes of immunity to non-magical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
Defensive Measures
You can cast mage armor on yourself without expending a spell slot.
Devil's in the Details
The following options are added to the list of information you can request when using Picked Apart;
- Creature Type
- Armor Class
- Spells the creature is under the effects of, if any
- Highest level spell the creature can currently cast, if any
- If the creature has legendary resistance or legendary actions
- Senses of the creature
- One random condition immunity, if any
Distracting Eyes
You can spend 1 minute in conversation with a creature in an attempt to distract it. The creature must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. Creatures immune to the charmed condition automatically succeed this saving throw. On success, a creature is immune to this effect for 1 hour. On failure, the creature automatically fails Wisdom (Perception) checks made for the next 10 minutes, or earlier of you choose to end the effect. While under this effect the creature is always considered surprised if attacked.
Eye of Erasure
As an action you focus your gaze on a creature you can see within 60 feet, forcing it to make a Wisdom saving throw. On failure, it becomes unable to cast spells for a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier. You must concentrate on this ability (as though you were concentrating on a spell) to maintain the effect for the duration, and the creature can repeat the Wisdom saving throw at the end of each of their turns for the duration.
When you use this feature, you can't use it again until you complete a long rest.
Eye of Fear
You can cast fear once using a watcher spell slot. You can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Gift of Sight
You can cast darkvision at will without expending a spell slot.
Impair
As a reaction to when you are targeted by an attack roll from a creature you understand, you give the attack disadvantage. This must be done before the attack is made.
Improve
As a reaction to an ally within 30 feet making an attack roll against a creature you understand, you give the attack advantage. This must be done before the attack is made.
Magi
When a creature is casting a spell with verbal or somatic components, you immediately learn the name of the spell being cast (no action required).
Additionally, you can attempt to use a spell scroll from any class list, treating it as a watcher spell.
Make Alone
As an action you force one creature you can see to make an Intelligence saving throw against your spell save DC. On failure, the creature can no longer perceive any allies around it, as if they didn't exist. The target rationalizes any effects the allies cause in this state as natural occurrences or caused by your power.
An ally of any affected creature can end this effect by spending an action alerting it to their presence (slapping or shaking it, yelling, etc). This effect lasts 1 minute, or you can end it as a bonus action.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Measured Approach
As a Watcher no enemy can cause you to waver from your goals. You have advantage on any saving throw to resist being charmed or frightened.
Medusa's Gaze
As an action, you can force a creature within 30 ft. of you that can see you to make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is instantly petrified. Otherwise, a creature that fails the save begins to turn to stone and is restrained. A creature restrained by this effect must make another Constitution saving throw at the end of its next turn. If it successfully saves against this effect, the effect ends. On failure it is turned to stone. This effect also ends if you use your action to do anything else other than continue this effect, lasting up to 1 hour.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Paralytic Glance
You can cast hold person once using a watcher spell slot. You can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Peaceful Aura
You learn the spell calm emotions. You always have this spell prepared and it doesn't count against the number of Spells you can prepare each day. You can cast it once without expending a spell slot, and can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Power of Kings
When casting Geas, you reduce the casting time to 1 action.
Scopaesthesia
You can use Prying Eyes as a bonus action, and can use it twice before needing to rest to use it again.
Additionally, when using Prying Eyes, you can sense the exact location of even invisible or magical creatures.
Truth of the Beholder
You can cast zone of truth once without expending any spell slots, and regain the ability to do so when you finish a short or long rest.
Unrestricted Gaze
You gain immunity to the blinded condition, and treat lightly obscured areas as though they were unobscured.
Multiclassing
On the DM's discretion, you can multiclass in the Watcher class, as described in a book most players should have (page 163-165). If you do so, the following rules are applied.
Prerequisites
To qualify for an Watcher class, you must meet the ability score proficiencies for the Watcher class, as shown in the table below.
Table: Multiclassing Prerequisites
| Class | Ability Score Minimum |
|---|---|
| Watcher | Strength or Dexterity 13, Wisdom 13 |
Class Feature: Spellcasting
When you multiclass into the Watcher class and gain the Spellcasting feature from both the Watcher class and other classes, you add half your levels (rounded down) in the Watcher class when you determine your available spell slots.
Spells
Some spells that are added to the Watcher's spell list are not from an official source, and instead are credited to New Dawn. This is my homebrew setting/general term for much of my content. Such spells are listed here for your convenience. Some spells have the school of "shattering", which is my homebrew school for spells that break time, space, and minds alike.
As this is homebrew within a homebrew, it is well within a DM's right to refuse this additional content. The class should operate fine without it, but it will provide new options.
Presence of Mind
1st-level shattering
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Self
- Components: S
- Duration: 1 hour
- Classes: Sorcerer, Watcher, Wizard
You send magic into your future, readying yourself should you be placed in sudden danger. If you are surprised while under the effects of this spell, you immediately cease to be. Also, if your initiative is below 15 you can choose to make it 15. Once these effects occur, the spell ends.
Power Word Pause
2nd-level shattering
- Casting Time: 1 reaction, taken when you or a creature within range is about to take damage
- Range: 15 feet
- Components: V
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
- Classes: Cleric, Paladin, Sorcerer, Watcher, Wizard
You shout a magical command, freezing the instance of damage that triggered this spell before it takes effect. Once this spell ends, the damage is applied.
Reposition
2nd-level shattering
- Casting Time: 1 bonus action
- Range: 30 feet
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Instantaneous
- Classes: Artificer, Sorcerer, Watcher, Wizard
Reality shifts for a moment, as you teleport a willing creature that you can see within range up to 15 feet to an unoccupied space that you can see.
Focus
3rd-level enchantment
- Casting Time: 1 bonus action
- Range: Self
- Components: S, M (a leaf of lavender)
- Duration: 1 minute
- Classes: Artificer, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger, Warlock, Watcher, Wizard
For the duration of the spell, you focus your mind on one particular topic. Any concentration check you make for the duration of the spell has advantage.
At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell with a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you gain a +1 bonus to all concentration checks made for the duration of the spell per spell slot level above 2nd.
Twist Fate
3rd-level shattering
- Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when an attack, saving throw, or ability check is determined to be a success or failure
- Range: 30 feet
- Components: S, M (a set of bone dice worth at least 1gp)
- Duration: Instantaneous
- Classes: Bard, Warlock
You attempt to try fate once more. When a creature makes an attack, saving throw, or ability check within range and the result is determined but no damage has been rolled you may force that creature to attempt the roll anew.
At Higher Levels: If you cast this spell with a spell slot of 4th level or higher, you can force the new roll to no longer have advantage or disadvantage if it had it.
Smoke and Mirrors
4th-level illusion
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 30 feet
- Components: V, S, M (a silver hand mirror worth at least 10gp)
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
- Classes: Bard, Sorcerer, Watcher, Warlock, Wizard
Choose a point on a surface within range. A thin fog fills a 20 foot radius from this point, rising no more than 10 feet off the ground. This fog lightly obscures the area. While in this fog you are invisible and hidden from any creature also within the fog, and attacking or casting a spell does not reveal your location to creatures as you cause the attack or spell to seem to originate from elsewhere.
A creature can take the Search action to attempt to locate you, making a Wisdom (Perception) check against your spell save DC. On success, the creature learns your location until the end of its next turn.
Withdraw
4th-level shattering
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Self
- Components: V, S
- Duration: 1 hour
- Classes: Sorcerer, Warlock, Watcher, Wizard
You prepare yourself to avoid upcoming danger. If you are subjected to any damage while this spell is active, you can choose to use your reaction to instead take no damage, sending yourself a little ways into the future. You vanish and reappear in the nearest unoccupied space from where you left at the start of your next turn. When you use this feature of the spell, the spell ends.
At Higher Levels: When cast using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, you can target any number of willing creatures within 15 feet of yourself to also disappear, reappearing at the start of your next turn.
From Whence One Came
5th-level abjuration
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: V, S, M (an object from the caster's birthplace worth at least 1cp, consumed upon casting the spell)
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
- Classes: Cleric, Paladin, Sorcerer, Warlock, Watcher, Wizard
You attempt to send one creature that you can see within range back to where it was born. If the target is unwilling it must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or be teleported to the loaction of its birth or creation for the duration of the spell, at which point the target reappears in the space it left or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied. If you maintain concentration for the full duration of the spell, the creature does not return.
If the location of the target's birth or creation is destroyed or on another plane of existence, the spell sends them to as close as possible to that location that is safe. The target will return when the spell ends regardless of if you held concentration.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, you can target one additional creature per spell slot level above 5th.
Mind Shield
5th-level shattering
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Self
- Components: V, S, M (a small piece of a mammal's brain)
- Duration: 1 hour
- Classes: Artificer, Bard, Cleric, Paladin, Sorcerer, Warlock, Watcher, Wizard
You shield your mind from the outside world. For the duration you gain resistance to psychic damage, and have advantage on Wisdom saving throws and saving throws caused by a shattering spell.
Versions History
Version 15 (current)
- Updated wording of nearly every element and feature of the class
- Complete overhaul to the core feature again, Understand Your Enemy replaced with Unwavering Watch, introducing new mechanics
- Added Understood Bonus to the Watcher Table.
- Added Fighting Styles at level 2
- Removed Magical Burst gaze ability with the new Arcane Discipline fighting style
- Added Unerring Mark at level 1
- Improved Psychosis by having creatures that succeed the save still take a lesser effect
- Changed the level 3 features of all subclasses
- Buffed Diviner to allow one free cast of each chosen spell
- Added Str/Dex requirement to multiclass
- Removed Exploit Weakness
- Removed Lore Seeker subclass entirely. I did so since I realized it was very weak, and the class doesn't focus on magic enough to warrent a magic subclass
- Gave Magi gaze ability to Seer with the removal of Lore Seeker
- Added gaze ability Arcane Meditation
- Changed Comprehend Beyond to now understand when casting divination spells
- Removed Wide Open
- Replaced Watching Undisturbed with All Eyes on You
- Made Medusa's Gaze gaze ability level 17
- Replaced Greater Understanding with Eye for an Eye
- Removed Vigilance from Mimic
- Changes Mimic to no longer guarantee success
- Upgraded the watcher's hit dice to d10's
- Eyes from Beyond now gives proficiency in Perception, and expertise only when using sight
- Removed Shooting Daggers gaze feature
- Added Picked Apart at 5th level
- Gave Distracting Eyes an immunity phase to prevent spam
- Added Defenses Laid Bare gaze ability
- Added Steel Wind Strike to spell list
- Added a simple weapon to the starting equipment so TWF is possible
- Added all New Dawn spells to the bottom of the document for reference
Version 14 (link)
- Added cooldown to Prying Eyes. This was done so a Watcher doesn't just spam the ability when in hostile territory
- Removed level 5 improvement from Shooting Daggers since you don't get gaze abilities till level 6
- Buffed Scopaestesia to add an extra charge to Prying Eyes since I nerfed the cooldown to Prying Eyes
- Clarified Eyes from Further Beyond that when your eyes are used as a focus, you don't need to perform somatic components
- Clarified Eye of Erasure's end condition
- Added the Seer subclass
- Removed Foreseen from the base class and moved it to the Seer
- Moved Understand Your Enemy to level 1
- Added Exploit Weakness. The class severely lacked damage, so this should help
- Replaced Unending Watch with Ever Watchful. This should give the True Watcher some combat and social potential at lower levels
- Replaced Disabling Advantage with Wide Open
- Fixed wording on Shooting Daggers gaze ability to simplify it
- Decapitalized most "watcher"'s to be more in line with official content
- Split Mimic into two separate abilities and cleaned up the wording
- Altered Eyes from Beyond, reduced the improvement to darkvision to 30 feet, and gave expertise in perception instead of just proficiency.
- Added longbow to proficiencies
- Changed Hidden in Plain Sight by removing the negative to passive perception, and allowed creatures to make perception checks if you alter things around them. Also reduced cooldown to only on long rests
- Replaced Lesson in Pain with Psychosis
- Limited the highest level you can cast a spell with Epiphany
- Replaced Exploitative Movement with Flow of Battle
- Fixed wording on Prying Eyes, Hidden in Plain Sight, Perfect Opening, and Epiphany
- Cleaned up wording on several gaze abilities, and buffed some that gave new spells to the watcher
- Improve and Impair gaze abilities are now unlimited use, but only work on understood creatures
- Unrestricted Gaze now has an 8th level requirement
- Eye of Erasure is less random now, but also allows the target to repeat the saving throw and is 1/long rest now
- Added and removed several spells from the spell list at all levels
Version 13 (link)
- Replaced Helpful Eye with Disabling Advantage. I felt that helpful eye was too similar to paladin smite and felt out of theme
- Modified Understand Your Enemy to only understand a creature until next rest, and added a new option (avg damage)
- Changed Exploit Weakness to Exploitative Movement (instead of no AoO from understood, u can move when understanding)
- Modified Prying Eyes to be able to detect any creature watching you, not just magically enchanted ones. Also no longer linked to search action
- Added Scopaesthesia Gaze Ability to improve Prying Eyes
- Allowed the damage from Push the Advantage to be applied to any damage type the weapon deals
- Replaced Spell Fusion with Epiphany. Watchers already get so few spell slots that fusion wasn't worth it
- Improved Arcane Resilience to apply to all spell saves
- Changed the 3rd paragraph of the opening text to better reflect the new Lore Seeker
- Replaced the component pouch in the equipment with the arcane symbol.
Version 12 (link)
- Increased the damage of Helpful Eye to 1d10 instead of 1d6 due to reduced usability
- Nerfed Forseen to only be usable twice at 11th level and doesn't increase further
- Buffed Understand Your Enemy to just require you see the creature, and it can be used when a creature casts a spell now
- Removed the spell Darkvision from the Watcher spell list
- Added Gift of Sight Gaze Ability
- Made changes throughout the document to remove the "otherworldly entities" from the flavor. Class is focused on gaining power from understanding, not warlock-y patrons
- Added an arcane focus to their Spellcasting ability
- Replaced the level 20 ability Burning Eyes with Complete Comprehension
- Buffed Unfailing Observation to also include saving throws as most Watcher spells are not attacks and moved it to 7th level
- Removed Picked Apart from Lore Seeker
- Added Arcane Resilience as the Lore Seeker's 11th level ability
- Gave the watcher the ability to cast spells with a symbol, so they can cast while still sword/shield equiped
Version 11 (link)
- Added 20 bolts to the crossbow in equipment
- Foreseen costs a reaction to use now
- Greater Understanding now only works for one turn
- Learned Scholar now only regens spell slots once per long rest
- Added title page
- Removed (L) from spellcasting feature description
- Fixed wording in Foreseen
- Improved Unrestricted Gaze Gaze Ability
- Improved and fixed wording of Prying Eyes
- Replaced Master of Weapons with Push the Advantage
- Nerfed Helpful Eye to now only affect one creature max. This was so AOE effects were not the only ones this ability would be used on
Version 10 (link)
- Changed Helpful Eye to give bonus damage to one attack instead of advantage on all attacks
- Sleepless Watch Gaze ability was moved to the True Watcher's Unending Watch
- Hidden in Plain Sight was buffed to no longer require you see the creatures you wish to be hidden from, gives a -5 debuff to passive perceptions sometimes, and allows you to cast spells as long as no creatures are affected
- Watching Undisturbed now allows you to give allies the Sanctuary effect as well
- Eyes of Truth now gives immunity to Charm/Frighten
- Changed Picked Apart to require less bookkeeping
- Spell Fusion was changed to allow you to combine spell slots to make more powerful ones instead of upcasting one spell.
- Perfect Opening now increases weapon reach by 5 ft during the ability.
- Removed proficiency bonus when multiclassing
- Upgraded Unrestricted Gaze to make you immune to being blinded by any means even magical
- Hidden in Plain Sight now has all creatures remember you after the duration (to avoid easy shop stealing)
Version 9 (link)
- Added several spells at every level to the spell list of the class (including from XGE)
- Replaced Master of Lore with Picked Apart
- Changed Burning Eyes success affect to 10 minutes and allowed saves
- Added third eye and eyes are focuses to Eyes From Further Beyond
- Exploit Weakness is changed again to understood creatures can't use opportunity attacks against you
- Gave Piercing Gaze a 60 foot range
- Added Eye of Erasure Gaze Ability
- Reworded Unfailing Observation since Combat Understanding had been removed in a previous version
- Rewrote Learned Scholar to now allow UYE outside of combat and regain spell slots
- Removed (L) from spell list as it is now invalid
Version 8 (link)
- Added links to previous versions. This is in case someone is using/prefers an older version they can have access to it
- Added Shield proficiency and a shield to equipment
- Added spell slot info to Devil's in the Details
- Made Supreme Understanding also let you learn all traits linked to a single question instead of a random one
- Gave Lesson in Understanding a limit to uses
- Reduced the number of skills known from three to two
- Foreseen now recharges at short/long rests
- Fixed missing text in spellcasting, should only prepare a number of spells with half the Watcher level not equal to
- Prying Eyes is now at will
- Completely rewrote opening text
- Changed Lesson in Understanding to Lesson in Pain and changed it to target attacker instead of creature of choice
- Removed Prepare Gaze Ability
- Reworded Improve and Impair to only be usable before the attack is rolled
- Changed Distracting Eyes so that it is no longer a charm ability, and instead creatures immune to charm cannot be targeted
- Exploit Weakness no longer gives an extra attack, instead allows you to dodge understood creatures better
- Critical Understanding no longer gives guaranteed crits, instead increasing the crit range
Version 7 (link)
- Changed Understand Your Enemy from level 5 to level 2 and changed how it is activated
- Changed Supreme Combat Understanding to Supreme Understanding
- Supreme Understanding now allows more choices instead of allowing it to be used without expending a charge
- Cleaned up errors left over from changes in version 6
- Reworked Prying Eyes to no longer be always active, no longer detects non-magical creatures
- Moved Prying Eyes to level 3
- Moved Measured Approach to a Gaze Ability
- Removed Combat Understanding
- Added Greater Understanding
- Moved Eyes From Further Beyond to level 10
- Changed Exploit Weakness to give a bonus action attack against nearby understood creatures
- Moved Helpful Eyes to level 5 and made it a bonus action
Version 6 (no link)
- Brought to Discord of Many Things
- Changed Forseen to use proper syntax
- Reworded Combat Understanding and Lesson in Understanding to be more clear
- Removed Piercing Gaze's ability to ignore cover
- Completely reworked Supreme Combat Understanding. No longer uses a charge, and removed restrictions on how many times a single creature can be targeted
- Burning Eyes no longer causes damage to self when used, but can only be used once per day
- Reworded Hidden in Plain Sight again
- Completely reworked Master of Weapons. No longer involves a skill contest, now only activates on critical hits
- Moved Master of Lore to now be the Lore Watcher's second ability instead of third
- Removed Dangerous Game from Lore Watcher
- Added Unfailing Observation to Lore Watcher
- Renamed Spell Mixer to Spell Fusion
- Reworded Distracting Eyes and made it a charm effect
- Removed Gaze Ability Fighting Blind
- Reworded Magi, Magical Burst, Prepare, and Sleepless Watch
- Reworked Peaceful Aura
- Reduced the range of Shooting Daggers from 30 to 15 feet
- Reworded most abilities to use proper syntax when stating how long before it can be used again
- Added "at level 1" to the first level abilities
- Moved Unrestricted Gaze to a Gaze Ability
- Moved The Watcher's Gaze to 6th level (have yet to remove all level requirements of 6th or below from abilities till more solid)
- Reworked Helpful Eye to no longer give free crits, now is an upgraded "help" action with similar flavor to smite
Version 5 (link)
- Added Forseen and Helpful Eye to give the class more use at early levels
- Gave the gaze ability Shooting Daggers a range
- Gave Burning Eyes a cost
- Gave Hidden in Plain Sight a time to activate so it can't be used in combat (easily)
Version 4 (link)
- Removed the Watch and Learn ability and replaced it with The Watcher's Gaze ability
- Added the Gaze Abilities table
- Improved Perfect Opening to give attacks of opportunity made against you disadvantage
- Switched the Eyes of Truth ability and Piercing Gaze
- Reworded Critical Understanding
- Changed Hidden in Plain Sight to be a check against passive perception instead of an active roll for each creature
- Improved Prying Eyes to also detect non-magical means of being seen
- Reworked Dangerous Game to give constant charges instead of charges based on enemy CR
- Gave the ability Understand your Enemy one additional use across all levels
Version 3 (link)
- Revisions made to wording and quality check
- Improved Eyes from Beyond ability
- Removed Watch and Learn ability's feature that allowed copying of skills and replaced with weapons instead
- Dangerous Game reworded for clarity and changed in wording
- Added component pouch to equipment (woops)
- Gave Master of Lore restrictions but lowered the DC
- Published on reddit for help reviewing
Version 2 (link)
- Transfered to GM Binder.
- Near complete rework of entire class, including removing Mark/Burn core mechanic due to being overly complicated
- Added new core mechanic of Understand Your Enemy
Version 1 (no link)
- Original idea written out in Word
- Mark mechanic introduced as core mechanic. Abilities cause you to gain marks, and too many causes damage or other affects
Thanks!
Special thanks to the discord of many things and its many brewers who helped me as I made this class, it wouldn't be nearly as polished as it is now without them!