The Syphon
The Syphon
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Syphon Die | Venoms Prepared |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Syphon Strikes, Preysense | 1d4 | - |
| 2nd | +2 | Envenom | 1d4 | 1 |
| 3rd | +2 | Syphon Archetype | 1d4 | 1 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d4 | 2 |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack | 1d6 | 2 |
| 6th | +3 | Syphon Archetype Feature | 1d6 | 3 |
| 7th | +3 | Evasion | 1d6 | 3 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d6 | 4 |
| 9th | +4 | Hunter's Instinct | 1d6 | 4 |
| 10th | +4 | Syphon Archetype Feature | 1d6 | 5 |
| 11th | +4 | Predator's Aspect | 1d8 | 5 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d8 | 6 |
| 13th | +5 | Preystalk | 1d8 | 6 |
| 14th | +5 | Twinned Venom | 1d8 | 7 |
| 15th | +5 | Syphon Archetype Feature | 1d8 | 7 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d8 | 8 |
| 17th | +6 | Terrifying Predator | 1d10 | 8 |
| 18th | +6 | Exploit Weakness | 1d10 | 9 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d10 | 9 |
| 20th | +6 | Ultimate Predator | 1d10 | 10 |
Class Features
As a Syphon, you gain the following Class Features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per Syphon level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per Syphon level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light, Medium
Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons, Shields
Tools: Poisoner's Kit, Choose one of any Artisan's Tools
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Eating, Investigation, Insight, Perception, Persuasion, and Stealth
Equipment
You start with the following Equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- a martial weapon or two simple weapons
- (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
- studded leather armor or scale mail armor
- a light crossbow and 20 bolts or 10 javelins
- a Poisoner's Kit
Syphon Strikes
The Syphon is a predator and a survivor, wearing its opponents down through attrition until they are easy prey. Beginning at 1st level, you can deal an additional amount of damage to vulnerable targets.
You deal an extra 1d4 points of damage to any creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must be a Melee attack or an attack with a thrown weapon. This damage increases as you gain levels, as shown in th Syphon Die column of the Syphon class table.
You don't need advantage on the attack roll if you don't have disadvantage on the attack roll and the enemy is suffering from one of the following conditions: Blinded, Deafened, Exhaustion, Frightened, Grappled, Incapacitated, Paralyzed, Poisoned, Restrained, Stunned, or Unconscious.
The damage dealt to a target by this feature also restores an equal number of Hit Points to you. Additionally, you can choose to cause your target to Fatten, Slim, Swell, or Shrink for twice the total damage of the attack, causing you to suffer the opposite effect (Fatten vs Slim, Swell vs Shrink).
Preysense
Also at 1st level, you develop an instinctive sense for prey and can hone your focus on a weakened enemy at the expense of ignoring other opponents. You can instinctively tell when any creature within 60 feet of you is at less than half of its maximum hit points, sensing their weakness.
Additionally, as a Bonus Action in combat, you can designate a target you can see within 60 feet of you as your Prey. This effect lasts until you dismiss it again as a bonus action or choose a new Prey. While a target is designated as Prey, you can always apply your Syphon strikes feature to attacks against them, regardless of any other factors, but you suffer disadvantage on all attack rolls against any other target. Once you use this feature this way, you cannot do so again until the end of combat, or until your Prey is reduced to 0 hit points.
Envenom
Beginning at 2nd level, you learn the art of crafting deadly Syphon Venoms, unique toxins crafted by Syphons using natural ingredients augmented with their unique nature. At the end of each Long rest, you can craft one Venom from the list of Venoms later in this class using your Poisoner's Kit. You can only craft a Venom if you meet its level requirement, and crafted Venoms become inert at the end of the next Long Rest after they are created. As you gain levels in this class, you can create more doses of Venom at the end of each long rest, as shown in the Venoms Prepared column of the Syphon class table. A venom can be ingested to take effect or, more commonly, applied to a weapon, which can deliver it via an attack.
Most Venoms, unless otherwise stated, are applied as a bonus action, which you can take to smear the Venom on a weapon you are wielding or can touch. Venom smeared on a ranged weapon affects all of the ammunition fired with it until it loses potency. You can only have one instance of a particular venom active on a weapon at a time, and a creature can only suffer one instance of a particular venom's effects at a time.
The unique nature of Syphon Venoms is reactive, and seeks an opening to apply its full potency. Applied Venoms remain on the weapon for one minute or until expended. A Venom is only expended if it affects a creature; if a Venom has an effect if a creature succeeds on a saving throw, it is expended- otherwise, the Venom is not expended until its effect is applied to the target.
Most Venoms will force a target to make a Saving Throw to resist their effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Venom Save DC
Syphon Archetype
When you reach 3rd level, you adopt a Syphon Archetype, chosen from the options listed at the end of this class description or another source. Your archetype grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, 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.
Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Evasion
Beginning at 7th level, you can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as an ancient red dragon’s fiery breath or an ice storm spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity 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.
Hunter's Instinct
At 9th level, your ability to track prey has further increased, allowing you to detect the passage of wounded prey. Whenever you make an Ability Check to track or detect any creature that is below its maximum hit points, you have advantage on the check. At the DM's discretion, a suitably high roll might grant your character an empathic understanding of the target's condition; a sense of the nature of their injury, their emotional state, and their immediate intentions at the time, or other such details.
Predator's Aspect
Starting at 11th level, your predatory nature enhances your very being, making you a better hunter. You gain a bonus to your Insight, Perception, and Stealth skills equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1), and can add the same bonus to your Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws.
Preystalk
At 13th level, you can even more rapidly close in on your prey in combat. While you have a target designated as Prey with your Preysense feature, you can use your bonus action to Dash, as long as you end the movement closer to your prey than you started.
Additionally, you gain a bonus to the damage dealt with your Syphon Strikes feature to your chosen Prey equal to your Charisma modifier.
Twinned Venom
At 14th level, when you use your bonus action to apply a venom to a weapon, you can choose to apply two different venoms instead.
Terrifying Predator
At 17th level, the terror you inflict upon your prey is powerful enough to rattle their spirits. Whenever you designate a creature as your Prey using Preysense, they must make a Wisdom saving throw against your Venom Save DC or become frightened of you as long as they remain Prey. On a success, they are immune to this feature until you Designate them as Prey again.
If your prey breaks line of sight with you, they can make another Wisdom saving throw at the end of each of their turns so long as you remain out of sight. On a success, the effect ends, but the next time you enter their line of sight, they must repeat the initial saving throw, becoming frightened or immune to the feature as if you had just deisgnated them as Prey again.
Exploit Weakness
At 18th level, your sense for your enemy's vulnerabilities has improved to let you find the slightest crack in their defense. Whenever you apply your Syphon Strikes feature to an attack against a target, any damage that attack deals, including additional damage from effects like your Venoms, ignores damage resistance and immunity.
Ultimate Predator
Upon reaching 20th level, your mastery of the hunt means that any opponent is merely prey before you. You no longer need to fulfill any conditions to apply your Syphon Strikes, and you gain truesight and tremorsense out to a distance of 120 feet, granting you perfect understanding of your surroundings.
Additionally, you can spend one minute to rapidly craft a new set of venoms, replacing your current set of prepared Venoms, including any expended ones, with a new set up to your maximum. Once you use this feature, you must complete a Long rest before you can do so again.
Venoms
Blubberize Venom
A unique venom distilled from Lipomantic materials, this tool allows for effective non-lethal capture of opponents.
An attack coated with this venom does not deal damage, as the lipomantic energy quickly restores any wound caused by the strike. Instead, a struck target must make a Constitution saving throw, fattening for the weapon's damage plus an additional 1d10 per level you have in this class, or half as much on a success. This fattening doubles on a critical hit as would be normal for a weapon attack.
Berserk Venom
A Myomantic venom designed to drive its victims into a berserker frenzy, this venom tries to push its victims aggressive impulses to their utmost, forcing them to lash out at the slightest provocation.
An attack coated with this venom does not deal damage, as the creature's swelling mass heals the wound left by the blade as if it were never there. Instead, the struck target Swells for the weapon's damage plus an additional 1d10 per level you have in this class and must make a Charisma saving throw, automatically succeeding if they are immune to being frightened. On a failure, they enter a berserk state, losing the ability to distinguish friend from foe, regarding all creatures it can see as enemies for the next minute. Each time the target takes damage, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Whenever the affected creature chooses another creature as a target, it must choose the target at random from among the creatures it can see within range of the attack, spell, or other ability it’s using. If an enemy provokes an opportunity attack from the affected creature, the creature must make that attack if it is able to.
Deadly Venom
When a creature is struck with a weapon coated in this Venom, they must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 2d10 Poison damage, or half as much on a successful save.
The damage of this Venom increases by 2d10 at 5th level, 11th level, and 17th level.
Essence of Fright
This venom activates the fear centers of a victim's mind, causing blind panic and flight response.
An affected creature must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature is frightened of you for the next minute, and must immediately use their reaction to run up to their movement away from you. If the creature is unable to move away from you, it instead cowers in place, still expending its reaction.
Exsanguinating Venom
This venom causes the wounds of a struck creature to bleed profusely. When struck by a weapon coated in this venom, the target suffers necrotic damage equal to your Syphon die plus your Charisma modifier (minimum 1) at the start of each of their turns for the next minute. A creature can attempt to Stanch this bleeding by using an Action to make a Wisdom (Medicine) roll against your Venom Save DC, ending the effect on a success.
Hanged Man's Kiss
Prerequisite: 5th level
This vicious venom is meant to rob its victim of its senses, making them easy prey for the Syphon.
An affected creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, they are rendered Blinded, Deafened, and unable to speak for the next minute. They can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect on a successful save.
Lethargy Venom
This venom inflicts a debilitating lethargy on its victims. When a creature is struck by a weapon coated in this Venom, they must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, for the next minute they must spend 1 extra foot of movement for every foot they move using their speed, attack rolls against them have advantage, and they have disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws.
Nectar of Letidýra
This venom is named after the cleric queen of slobs for its potent effects.
An affected creature must make a Charisma saving throw, becoming Bloated for the next minute on a failure. While affected by this condition, any creature that ends its turn adjacent to the affected creature must make a Charisma saving throw as well, becoming Bloated on a failure until the end of their next turn.
Ravening Venom
This venom activates the hunger centers of the body, rendering the creature unable to resist its gnawing gluttony.
An affected creature must make a Constitution saving throw, becoming Ravenous for the next minute on a failure. The affected creature can repeat this saving throw each time they take damage from overeating, ending the effect on itself on a failure.
Silent Death
Prerequisite: 11th level
Preparing this Venom uses two of your prepared Venom slots.
This truly insidious venom robs a victim's breath, causing them to suffocate to death. An affected creature must make a Constitution Saving throw, automatically succeeding if they do not need to breathe or are immune to the Poisoned condition. On a failure, they begin to choke, as per the Suffocating rules in the player's handbook. At the end of each round the creature is still alive, it can attempt the saving throw again, ending the effect on a success. They continue to repeat this saving throw even while unconscious, and if the effect ends while they are unconscious the creature immediately Stabilizes.
This venom can be cured by any effect that removes the Poisoned condition.
Truth Serum
This unique venom overrides the target's inhibitions to compel them to speak and prevents them from fabricating falsehoods.
An affected creature must make a Charisma saving throw, automatically succeeding if it's immune to the Poisoned condition. On a failure, for the next minute it is unable to lie. Whenever it is asked a direct question in a language it understands, it must make another Charisma saving throw or be compelled to answer the question.
Syphon Archetypes
Harrying Hunter
Harry
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn to harass your opponents and prevent them from retaliating. During your turn, if you make a melee attack against a creature, that creature can't make opportunity attacks against for the rest of your turn.
Additionally, when you make a ranged attack against a creature during your turn, you can choose to make the attack a suppressing shot. If you do, you make the attack with disadvantage, but that creature gets disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the start of your next turn.
Shadowing Steps
At 6th level, you can follow your opponent to keep them from escaping you. Whenever a creature would provoke an attack of opportunity from you, you can instead choose to shadow them using your reaction. You follow the creature in their movement, up to a maximum distance of your movement speed, ending as close to the creature as possible. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Marked Prey
At 10th level, your ability to designate your target as Prey is improved. When you mark a creature as Prey using your Preysense feature, it gains the following effects;
- You always know the prey's distance and direction from you so long as they remain on the same plane of existence.
- If the prey is invisible, you ignore their invisibility.
- The prey cannot gain advantage on attacks against you as long as you are not incapacitated.
Elusive Hunter
At 15th level, your ability to chase your foes is unsurpassed. Attacks of opportunity are made against you at disadvantage, and as long as you are moving towards a creature designated as Prey, you are treated as if you were under the effects of the Freedom of Movement spell.
Persistent Predator
Persist
Starting at 3rd level, your raw determination and presistence allows you to outlast your opponents. As a bonus action on your turn, you can give yourself resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage until the start of your next turn. When you do so, you also gain 5 temporary hit points. The number of temporary hit points increases when you reach certain levels in this class, increasing to 10 at 10th level and 15 at 15th level.
You can use this feature three times, and you regain expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.
Bolstering Venom
Beginning at 6th level you develop a unique supportive Venom designed to bolster the one who ingests it as a bonus action.
The venom causes an affected target to Swell for a number of d10s equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and in addition they gain the following effects until the start of their next turn;
- Their movement speed increases by 10 ft.
- Attacks they make deal an additional amount of damage equal to your Proficiency Bonus.
- They gain advantage on Ability Checks and Saving Throws.
Satisfying Prey
At 10th level, your ability to designate your target as Prey is improved. When you mark a creature as Prey using your Preysense feature, it gains the following effects;
- You have resistance to damage dealt to you by the Prey.
- When your prey is reduced to 0 hit points, you regain hit points equal to your Syphon level.
Brush Aside
At 15th level, your determination allows you to strike down or ignore enemy attacks. When you are hit with a weapon attack, you can use your reaction to make an attack roll with a weapon you are wielding. If the attack roll is higher than the one that hit you, you treat the attack as a miss instead, turning it away from you.
Silent Stalker
Stalk
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn to properly hide and stalk your prey. You can take the Hide action as a bonus action, and when you do, you can hide from a creature marked as your prey even if you are in plain sight of them, seeming to shimmer and fade into obscurity. This stealth does not persist under movement, however, so if you move while in plain sight of your prey, you will immediately become visible to them.
Shadow Stalk
At 6th level, you gain the ability to step from one shadow into another. When you are in dim light or darkness, as a bonus action you can teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness. When you do this, you may immediately take the hide action in the same bonus action.
Oblivious Prey
At 10th level, your ability to designate your target as Prey is improved. When you mark a creature as Prey using your Preysense feature, the prey's senses are clouded, treating you as if you were invisible only to them.
Deathstalker
At 15th level, your ability to strike from ambush makes you a deadly foe.
Any attack roll that you make with Advantage qualifies as a Critical Hit on a roll of 18 to 20 on the die.
The Devourer
The Devourer
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Some Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Something | — |
| 2nd | ─ | ─ | — |
| ... | ─ | ─ | ─ |
| 20th | ─ | ─ | ─ |