Spell Thief
Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Sudden Strike | Cantrips Known | Spells Known | Arcana Points | Spell Level |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st | +2 | Sudden Strike, Spell Arcana | 1d6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
2nd | +2 | Trackless Step, Discretion | 1d6 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
3rd | +2 | Spell Thief Path, 1,000 Faces | 1d6 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 2d6 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 1 |
5th | +3 | Magic Evasion | 2d6 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 2 |
6th | +3 | Magic Steal | 2d6 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 2 |
7th | +3 | Spell Thief Path | 2d6 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 2 |
8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 3d6 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 2 |
9th | +4 | - | 3d6 | 3 | 10 | 14 | 3 |
10th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 3d6 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 3 |
11th | +4 | Spell Thief Path | 3d6 | 4 | 11 | 17 | 3 |
12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 4d6 | 4 | 12 | 18 | 3 |
13th | +5 | Mimic Arcana | 4d6 | 4 | 12 | 20 | 4 |
14th | +5 | Disappear | 4d6 | 4 | 13 | 21 | 4 |
15th | +5 | 10,000 Faces | 4d6 | 4 | 13 | 23 | 4 |
16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 5d6 | 4 | 14 | 24 | 4 |
17th | +6 | - | 5d6 | 4 | 14 | 26 | 5 |
18th | +6 | Spell Thief Path | 5d6 | 4 | 15 | 27 | 5 |
19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 5d6 | 4 | 15 | 29 | 5 |
20th | +6 | Arcane Battery | 6d6 | 4 | 15 | 30 | 5 |
QUICK BUILD
You can make a Spell Thief quickly by following these suggestions. First make dexterity your highest ability score. Second, make charisma your next highest ability score followed by constitution. Lastly choose the Urchin background.
Class Features
As a Spell Thief, you gain the following class features
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d8 per Spell Sword level
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per Spell Thief level after 1st
Proficiencies
- Armor: Light armor
- Weapons: Simple weapons, Longsswords, Rapiers, Shortswords
- Tools: Thieves' tools
- Saving Throws: Dexterity and Charisma
- Skills: Choose three from Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, Insight, Investigation, Perception, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, Stealth
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a shortsword (b) two daggers or (b) any simple weapon
- (a) leather armor or (b) studded leather armor
- (a) a burglar's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
- (a) arcane focus or (b) a component pouch
- two daggers, a light crossbow and 20 bolts
Alternatively, you may start with 4d4 × 10 gp to buy your own equipment.
Spell Arcana
A mixture of arcane research and natural spellcasting talent you can tap into a deep wellspring of magic within yourself. This wellspring is represented by arcana points, which allow you to create a variety of magical effects and cast spells.
Cantrips
You know two cantrips of your choice from the Spell Thief spell list. You learn additional cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Spell Thief table.
Arcana Points
You have 2 arcana points, and you gain more as you reach higher levels as shown in the Arcana Points column of the Spell Thief table. You can never have more arcana points than shown on the table for your level. You regain all spent arcana points when you finish a short or long rest.
Flexible Casting
You can use your arcana points to cast spells. To do so, you expend a number of arcana points to create a spell slot of a given level, and then use that slot to cast a spell. You are limited to the level of the spell slot you can create as shown in the Spell Level Column of the Spell Thief class table.
The Creating Spell Slots table shows the cost of creating a spell slot of a given level. You can create spell slots no higher in level than 5th.
Spell Slot Level | Arcana Point Cost |
---|---|
1 | 2 |
2 | 3 |
3 | 5 |
4 | 6 |
5 | 7 |
Additionally you can use your arcana points to fuel other magical affects given to your by your class features.
Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher
You know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the Spell Thief spell list.
The Spells Known column of the Spell Thief table shows when you learn more spell sword spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you can create spell slots for. For instance, when you reach 5th level in this c1ass, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this c1ass, you can choose one of the spell thief spells you know and replace it with another spell from the spell sword spell list, which also must be of a level for which you can create spell slots.
Spellcasting Ability
Spell Save DC
Spell attack modifier
Spellcasting Focus
You can use an arcane focus (found in chapter 5) as a spellcasting focus for your Spell Thief spells.
Sudden Strike
Beginning at 1st level, you know how to strike subtly and exploit a foe's distraction. Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon. The amount of the extra damage increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Sudden Strike column of the Spell Thief table.
Trackless Step
Starting at 2nd level, as a bonus action you may spend 1 arcana point to project a veil of shadows and silence around you.
This effect allows anyone within it to roll stealth checks with advantage. Additionally, if a creature has proficiency with stealth they are also treated as having expertise.
This veil of shadows has a radius of 5 feet centered on you and lasts for a number of minutes equal to your charisma modifier.
Discretion
Starting at 2nd level, your quick thinking allow you to act swiftly. You can take a bonus action on each of your turns in combat. This action can be used only to take the Disengage or Hide action.
1,000 Faces
At 3rd level, as a bonus Action you may spend 1 arcana point to mask your appearance. You make yourself including your clothing, armor, weapons, and other belongings on your person look different. You can seem 1 foot shorter or taller and can appear thin, fat, or in between. You can't change your body type, so you must adopt a form that has the same basic arrangement of limbs.
This Illusionary effect fails to hold up to physical inspection. For example, if you use this to add a hat to your outfit, objects pass through the hat, and anyone who touches it would feel nothing or would feel your head and hair. If you use this ability to appear thinner than you are, the hand of someone who reaches out to touch you would bump into you while it was seemingly still in midair.
To discern that you are disguised, a creature can use its action to inspect your appearance and must succeed on an Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC.
This effect lasts for a number of minutes equal to your Charisma modifier.
Spell Thief Path
When you reach 3rd level, you commit yourself to a Spell Thief Path: Path of The Beguiler or Path of The Daggerspell, are both detailed at the end of the class description. Your discipline grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 11th, and 18th level.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 10th, 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.
Magic Evasion
Beginning at 5th level, you have a sense of magical spells and effects, you have learned to nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area effects, to steel your mind or body against others.
When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail
Magic Steal
Beginning at 5th level, Reaction to steal energy from a spell cast at your or an ally, regaining arcana points equal to level of spell.
Mimic Arcana
Begining at 10th level, As past of the reaction for magic steal, may immediately cast the same spell or effect back at the caster or another enemy within half the range of the spell.
If you mimic the spell you do not gain arcana points as the energy is immediately used.
Disappear
Begining at 10th level, as a bonus action you may spend 5 arcana points to turn your self invisible. This effect lasts for a number of minutes equal to your Charisma Modifier.
Any round in which you attack or cast a spell, the invisibility ceases to function until the start of your next turn.
10,000 Faces
Beginning at 10th level, as a bonus action you may spend 2 arcana points to change your appearance physically. You decide what you look like, including your height, weight, facial features, sound of your voice, hair length, coloration, and distinguishing characteristics, if any. You can make yourself appear as a member of another race, though none of your statistics change. You can appear as a creature one size larger or smaller than yourself, but your basic shape must stay the same; if you're bipedal, you can't use this ability to become quadrupedal, for instance.
This effect lasts for a number of minutes equal to twice your Charisma modifier.
Arcane Battery
At 20th level if you are out of arcana points you can spend 1 minute channeling your arcane energy to instantly gain 10 arcana points. You cannot use this feature again until you complete a long rest.
Spell Thief Paths
Spell Thieves tend to persue many different paths to power but the two most common are the Daggerspell Path and the Beguiler Path.
Daggerspell Path
Those that follow the Daggerspell path are especially vicious and experts with the use of daggers and shortswords. Their deadly expertise extends to the use of spells, pin pointing where to best aim a spell for maximum effect. You may now use a dagger or a shortsword as an arcana focus.
Arcane Precision
At 3rd level, whenever you cast a spell that causes damage, you may increase that damage by an amount equal to your sudden strike ability. Doing so costs 3 arcana points. This extra damage must be applied to 1 target even if the spell world effect other creatures.
Arcane Infusion
Starting at 7th level, you may enhance your a dagger or short sword with raw magic, channeling arcana energy into it. For the cost of 3 arcana points you may increase the damage of your attack by an amount equal to your sudden strike dice, even if you do not meet the requirements to do so. This damage and the weapon damage become force damage.
Arcane Throw
At 11th level, you can imbue arcane spell power into his thrown daggers. You can deliver a spell with a thrown dagger. If the dagger hits, the spell is discharged against the creature or object struck. If the dagger misses its intended target, the dagger returns to you just before your next turn and retains the spell. You cannot cast another spell other then cantrips until this one has been discharged.
Daggerspell Fury
Starting at 18th level, when you attack with your dagger or shortsword you may cast a spell as a bonus action, this spell must have a normal casting time of 1 action. You may do this a number of times equal to 1 + your Charisma modifier. You regain all expended when you finish a long rest.
Beguiler Path
For those Spell thiefs who prefer less direct methods of achieving their goals the path of the beguiler is right up their alley. To fool someone with but a whisper, charm them with but a glance, why they may even get away with murder.
Arcane Trickery
At 3rd level you begin understand the intricacies of fooling people with magic, whenever you cast an enchantement, illusion, or any other spell that effects the mind or what the creature sees or hears you may increase your spell DC by an amount equal to a roll of your sudden strike dice. Doing so costs 2 arcana points.
Mystic Gaze
Starting at 7th level, you may spend 5 arcana points to project soft words and an enchanting gaze to magically enthrall another humanoid creature. As an action, choose one creature that you can see within 30 feet of you. ]f the target can see or hear you, it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or be charmed by you. The charmed creature regards you as a dear friend. The creature is willing to go out of its way for you, but it is not a puppet and still has self preservation. If you are in combat with the creature its saving throw is made with advantage. The creature is charmed for a number of hours equal to your charisma modifier.
Any attacks against the creature by you or your allies breaks the enchantment. Asking it to do anything contrary to its nature or alignment also warrants another saving throw to see if the effect ends. After the effect ends the creature knows it was charmed by you, and can react normally. Each creature can only be targeted once per 24 hours.
Menacing Presence
At 11th level, you may spend 5 arcana points to project an aura of undeniable fear and dread, all who look upon you with a 20ft radius must succeed on a wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes psychic damage equal to your sudden strike dice and must immediately use its reaction, if available, to move as far as its speed allows away from you. The creature doesn’t move into obviously dangerous ground, such as a fire or a pit. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage and doesn’t have to move away. A blinded creature automatically succeeds on the save.
You may designate up to three creature to automatically succeed on their saving throw
Silence is Deadly
Additionally at 11th level, Whenever a you cast an enchantment or illusion spell, it no longer requires verbal or somatic components
Warding Glamour
At 18th level, whenever a creature makes an attack against you or forces you to make a saving throw, you may use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack, or give yourself advantage on the saving throw.
Cantrips (0 Level)
- Acid Splash
- Blade Ward
- Dancing Lights
- Eldritch Blast
- Firebolt
- Friends
- Mage Hand
- Mending
- Message
- Minor Illusion
- Prestidigitation
- Shocking Grasp
- True Strike
- Vicious Mockery
- Control flames
- Create bonfire
- Frostbite
- Gust
- Mold earth
- Shape water
- Thunderclap
1st Level
- Alarm
- Bane
- Burning Hands
- Charm Person
- Color Spray
- Command
- Detect Magic
- Disguise Self
- Dissonant Whispers
- Expeditious Retreat
- Inflict Wounds
- Jump
- Magic Missile
- Silent Image
- Sleep
- Tasha's Hideous Laughter
- Thunderwave
- Unseen Servant
- Witch Bolt
- Zephyr Strike
2nd Level
- Blindness/Deafness
- Blur
- Calm Emotions
- Cloud of Daggers
- Crown of Madness
- Darkness
- Darkvision
- Detect Thoughts
- Enhance Ability
- Enthrall
- Invisibility
- Magic Weapon
- Misty Step
- Mirror Image
- Phantasmal Force
- Ray of Enfeeblement
- Scorching Ray
- Shatter
- Silence
- Spider Climb
- Dragon's Breath
- Dust Devil
- Earthbind
- Mind Spike
- Shadow Blade
- Skvwrite
- Suggestion
- Warding Wind
3rd Level
- Bestow Curse
- Blink
- Counter Spell
- Elemental Weapon
- Fear
- Feign Death
- Glyph of Warding
- Lightning Bolt
- Haste
- Hypnotic Pattern
- Major Image
- Nondetection
- Protection from Energy
- Slow
- Vampiric Touch
- Water Breathing
- Catnap
- Enemies Abound
- Erupting Earth
- Flame Arrows
- Life Transference
- Melf's Minute Meteors
- Thunder Step
- Tiny Servant
4th Level
- Arcane Eye
- Blight
- Charm Monster
- Compulsion
- Confusion
- Death Ward
- Dimension Door
- Fabricate
- Fire Shield
- Freedom of Movement
- Greater Invisibility
- Hallucinatory Terrian
- Ice Storm
- Locate Creature
- Phantasmal Killer
- Stoneskin
- Wall of Fire
- Elemental Bane
- Shadow of Moil
5th Level
- Animate Objects
- Contagion
- Creation
- Dominate Person
- Geas
- Hold Monster
- Mislead
- Modify Memory
- Passwall
- Seeming
- Enervation
- Far Step
- Immolation
- Skill Empowerment
- Steel Wind Strike
- Synaptic Static
Stealth
And
Sorcery
After dispatching the guard from the shadows the young gnome enters the grand hall. The evil witch spots him, a ball of fire erupts in the middle of the room. The gnome reaches out and grabs the remnant of the arcane energy still lingering in air. Suddenly the witch is caught in seemingly an almost identical ball of flame.
A charming teifling, approaches the guards blocking her way into the city. She speaks to them softly, slowly, enticingly. She reaches out with words, the sound becoming spirals of deep magic, soon the gates of the city are open before her. Allowing her to finally find her prey.
A Spell Thief blends skill and magical prowess. Though more limited than a magic in terms of raw power, they make up for in skill, stealth and ingenuity.
Cover Art: Jake Siano
Watch out for more classes coming soon!
Additional Credits
Inside art listed in order of appearance.
Dagger of Venom-DMG
Thievery-Ben Moran
Trickster-Enmanuel Martinez