Preface
This document provides several new player options for Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition. This includes new optional class features for multiple classes, as well as new feats for exploring different customization paths.
This Is Playtest Material
The material in this article is presented for playtesting and to spark your imagination. These game mechanics are in draft form, usable in your campaign but not refined by full game design and editing. They aren’t officially part of the game and aren’t permitted in D&D Adventurers League events.
If I decide to make this material official, it will be refined based on your feedback.
Changelog
Credits
Images:
- kiikii-sempai (https://www.deviantart.com/kiikii-sempai)
- Risa Hulett (https://www.artstation.com/risahulett)
- Varbas (https://www.reddit.com/user/Varbas/)
New Tricks, Old Kicks
You gain class features in the Player’s Handbook when you reach certain levels in your class. This section offers additional features that you can gain as one of the listed class' options.
Unlike the features in the Player’s Handbook, you don’t gain the features here automatically. Consulting with your DM, you decide whether to gain a feature in this section if you meet the class level requirement and prerequisites noted in the feature’s description. These features can be selected separately from one another; allowing you to pick and choose which features you wish to use for your game.
Optional Class Features
You gain class features in the Player’s Handbook when you reach certain levels in your class. This section offers additional features that you can gain as a character, depending on the class your character has.
Unlike the features in the Player’s Handbook, you don’t gain the features here automatically. Consulting with your DM, you decide whether to gain a feature in this section if you meet the level requirement noted in the feature’s description. If you take a feature that replaces another feature, you gain no benefit from the replaced one and don’t qualify for anything in the game that requires it.
Expanded Familiars
3rd level warlock feature, which works with the Pact Boon feature
When you take the Pact of the Chain as your Pact Boon, you can choose your familiar's form based on the options listed in the Player's Handbook, or one of the following additional forms: crawling claw, eros, faerie dragon (yellow), flying sword, or mephit.
The game statistics of each creature, except for the eros, can be found in the Monster Manual. If you select the mephit, you can select any of the forms listed in the Monster Manual for this creature. The game statistics of the eros is listed at the end of this document.
Familiars and Their Patrons
The familiars listed here in this document are meant to be reflective of the new patrons introduced in the handbooks Xanathar's Guide to Everything and Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. If your player selects this optional feature for their character, have them consider their patron and what familiar they may want to grant them as their Pact Boon. For example, a warlock of the Celestial might want to choose the eros as its familiar, while a warlock of the Genie could select the mephit.
Faithful Page
1st level paladin feature, which replaces the Divine Sense feature
Your righteous duty is to the people of a kingdom, and your oaths draw hopefuls to your call. You gain the services of a page: a commoner who is sworn to your care in the hopes of one day becoming a knight or paladin themself.
The page uses the commoner statistics listed in the Monster Manual, with the following changes:
- Its hit point maximum equals the plus your Charisma modifier plus 3 times your paladin level (minimum of 5 hit points). The creature has a number of hit dice equal to your paladin level, each of which are d6s. Like any creature, it can spend Hit Dice during a short rest to regain hit points, and gains the full benefits of a long rest when it completes one.
- The page is proficient in light armor. It uses your proficiency bonus, rather than its own, for any attack roll, ability check, or saving throw it has.
The page is friendly to you and your companions. It acts independently of you, but it always obeys your commands. In combat, it rolls its own initiative and acts on its own turn. A page can't attack, but it can take other actions as normal.
The page remains by your side until slain. If the page dies, you can spend 1 hour and 5 or more points of your Lay on Hands feature (equal to or lower than the page's hit point maximum) to restore it to life, with a number of hit points equal to the number of points you spent from your Lay on Hands pool, provided its soul is free and willing.
Credit: Varbas (https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/r5pdy1/oc_red_
dragonborn_paladin_and_her_son_and_her/)
Sorcerous Companion
2nd level sorcerer feature
Your natural magic makes you a faunt of power for the denizens of the plane. When you complete a long rest, you can spend 2 sorcery points to cast the find familiar spell, without expending a spell slot or material components.
When you cast find familiar in this way, the use of the spell becomes special: The familiar you summon gains additional hit points equal to twice your sorcerer level.
Credit: Risa Hulett (https://www.artstation.com/artwork/BlKrz)
Subclass Optional Class features: Conjuration
The Conjuration wizard in the Player’s Handbook specializes in creating objects and creatures from nothing or transporting objects across vast distances. As an alternative, a Conjuration wizard can take the following features below to become more of an archetypical summoner.
Conjuror's Companion
2nd level School of Conjuration feature, which replaces the Minor Conjuration feature
Starting at 2nd level, you add the find familiar spell to your spellbook, if it is not there already. You can cast find familiar without expending a spell slot or material components. When you cast find familiar, the familiar's hit point maximum increases by an amount equal to your wizard level.
Once you cast find familiar in this way, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest, though you can still cast it normally using an available spell slot.
Potent Summons
6th level School of Conjuration feature, which replaces the Benign Transposition feature
Starting at 6th level, creatures you summon are more resilient and powerful than their average counterparts. Any creature summoned or created by a spell that you cast gains the following benefits:
- The creature appears with more hit points than normal: 2 extra hit points per Hit Die it has. If a creature is summoned using a spell such as summon fey or summon shadowspawn, and the creature does not have hit dice, it instead has its hit point maximum increased by an amount equal to four times the level of the spell slot used to cast the spell.
- The damage from the creature's natural weapons is considered magical for the purpose of overcoming immunity and resistance to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Effortless Summons
14th level School of Conjuration feature, which replaces the Durable Summons feature
At 14th level, you become so adept at drawing creatures forth from nothing that the act of summoning becomes almost instinctual, second nature.
Choose one of the following spells: summon fey, summon shadowspawn, summon aberration, summon construct, summon elemental, or summon fiend. You add the chosen spell to your spellbook, if it is not there already, and you always have it prepared, though it doesn’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. In addition, you can cast this spell once without expending a spell slot or material components, and you regain the ability to do so when you complete a short or long rest.
Whenever you start casting the chosen spell, you can modify it so that it doesn’t require concentration. If you do so, the spell’s duration becomes 1 minute for that casting.
Feats
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 the 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.
Each of the new feats are listed below.
Ascetic Adept
Prerequisite: Strength or Wisdom 13 or higher.
Spending weeks refining your abilities in hand to hand combat disciplines, your body becomes strong as iron, granting you the following benefits:
- Your unarmed strikes can deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier on a hit. If another feature grants you a larger damage die for your unarmed strikes, you instead treat any 1 on a damage die as a 2 when you roll damage for your unarmed strikes.
- If you already have Ki points, you gain 2 more. Otherwise, you have 2 Ki points, which you can regain whenever you complete a short or long rest, provided you spend at least 30 minutes of the rest meditating. You can use the Ki points you gain from this feat on one of the following ki features, which you must choose upon gaining this feat:
- Flurry of Blows. Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki point to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action.
- Patient Defense. You can spend 1 ki point to take the Dodge action as a bonus action on your turn.
- Step of the Wind. You can spend 1 ki point to take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action on your turn, and your jump distance is doubled for the turn.
Augmented Healing
Prerequisite: The ability to cast a spell of 3rd level or higher
Extended training in divine magics has improved your ability to grant life and restore health. When you cast a spell of 1st level or higher to restore hit points to a creature, the creature regains additional hit points equal to one third your level (rounded down).
Improved Familiar
Prerequisite: The ability to cast the find familiar spell, 5th level or higher
You have refined the processes needed to call forth a familiar, making it more powerful and resilient than a typical servant. Now, any familiar you call forth gains the following benefits for being under your service:
- Your familiar's maximum hit points increase by an amount equal to your level.
- Your familiar gains proficiency in three skills or tools of your choice, and it can use your proficiency bonus in place of its own for any ability check it is proficient with.
- When you cast the spell, you can choose one of the normal forms for your familiar or one of the following additional forms: blood hawk, flying snake, giant rat, giant weasel, mastiff, or twig blight.
Inspiring Performer
Prerequisite: Charisma 13 or higher
Words have power, able to rouse the emotions of others and evoke confidence and competence. You have learned to tap into this wondrous power, giving your words the ability to inspire others.
If you have the Bardic Inspiration class feature, you gain an additional Bardic Inspiration die. Otherwise, you gain a Bardic Inspiration die, which is a d6. You can use your bonus action to choose one creature other than yourself within 60 feet of you who can hear you. That creature gains one Bardic Inspiration die.
Once within the next minute, that creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use the Bardic Inspiration die, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. Once the Bardic Inspiration die is rolled, it is lost. A creature can have only one Bardic Inspiration die at a time.
Once you give a creature this Bardic Inspiration die, you cannot do so again until complete a short or long rest.
Leader's Synergy
Prerequisite: The ability to have a permanent companion from a class feature
Your innate capabilities allow you to impart some of your own power into your companion, granting them an increased aptitude by bestowing the following benefits:
- The companion 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 companion can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
- The companion gains a +1 bonus to its AC, attack rolls, and saving throws.
- When your companion uses an action in its statblock on your turn, you can make one weapon attack as part of the same action.
Mystic Capacity
Prerequisite: The ability to cast at least one spell of 1st level or higher
You can draw upon more of your reserves of magic before needing to rest and recover your strength. You gain an additional 1st level spell slot, which is added to the number of spell slots you have to cast spells. You regain this additional spell slot when you complete a long rest.
You can select this feat multiple times. Each time you do so, the level of the spell slot you gain from selecting this feat increases by 1. For example, if you select this feat 3 times, you gain one 1st level spell slot, one 2nd level spell slot, and one 3rd level spell slot.
Rime of Mialandar
Prerequisite: The ability to cast at least one spell
You can call upon of the powers of a wintry realm - such as Cania, Bifrost, or Celestia - and empower your magical capability. This arcane force grants you the following benefits:
- Increase your Wisdom or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
- When you roll cold damage for a spell you cast, you can reroll one of the cold damage dice and use the higher roll.
- Whenever you cast a spell that deals cold damage, you can create a 10-foot-radius patch of rime, centered on a point you can see within the spell's range. This patch of rime persists until the end of your next turn. A creature's speed is halved if they enter the area for the first time or start their turn there.
Spiritual Adept
Prerequisite: The ability to cast at least one spell of 3rd level or higher
When you gain this feat, choose one of the following damage types: necrotic, psychic, or radiant.
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.
Appendix: Monsters
CREDIT: kiikii-sempai
Eros
An eros is a young angel whose soul was recently accepted into the Upper Planes. These little, child-like celestials often display an innocence and kindness that you'd expect from a well mannered toddler, while showcasing the widsom and grace of a young adult. Their natural form is that of a young female figure, with marbled skin, a saintly face, and a gentle complexion.
Eroses are sent to Material Plane as guides or observers, sent to learn information on worldly matters, or perform reconnaisance against the denizens of the Lower Planes. With little offensive might, an eros typically shies away from direct combat, peferring to stay hidden (either by becoming invisible or transforming into a tiny woodland critter) so that aggressors will pass them by.
Eroses are also known to become familiars to devout arcanists, and are often regarded as some of the most useful and worthwhile familiars to have. Eroses have a propensity to direct their masters towards acts of goodness and purity, but are usually very passive, patient, and serene when making suggestions. An eros - when in service to a master - will provide planning, guidance, and reasoning when asked for advice, diligently perform tasks when commanded, and otherwise perform all of the standard functions a normal familiar would.
Eroses never coerce their masters into righteous duty. Instead, an eros wil simply guide and instruct, hoping to instill positive forces of habit unto their master in such a manner that their choice to turn to good is entirely inherent and self-encouraged.
Eros
tiny Celestial (angel), typically neutral good
- Armor Class 13
- Hit Points 10 (4d4)
- Speed 20 ft., fly 40ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 6 (-2) 15 (+2) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 16 (+3)
- Skills Animal Handling +4, Insight +4, Persuasion +7, Stealth +4
- Damage Resistances acid, cold, lightning, radiant; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical Attacks that aren't silvered
- Condition Immunities charmed
- Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 11
- Languages Common, Celestial
- Challenge 1 (200 XP), Proficiency Bonus +2
Shapechanger. The eros can use its action to polymorph into a beast form that resembles a mouse (speed 20 ft.), a dove (20 ft., fly 60 ft.), or a squirrel (20 ft., climb 20 ft.), or back into its true form. Its statistics are the same in each form, except for the speed changes noted. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
Angelic Weapons. The eros' weapon attacks are magical. When the eros hits with any weapon, the attack deals an extra 1d4 radiant damage (included in the attack).
Magic Resistance. The eros has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Actions
Slam (Bite in Beast Form). Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage, plus 2 (1d4) radiant damage.
Invisibility. The eros magically turns invisible until it attacks or until its concentration ends (as if concentrating on a spell). Any equipment the eros wears or carries is invisible with it.
Bonus Actions
Guiding Light. The eros can offer aid to one friendly creature of its choice that it can see within 30 feet of it. the creature gains advantage on its next ability check or attack roll, provided that it makes the check before the start of the eros' next turn.