Fighter: Essence Hunter
Made by drsooz
“If you know the enemy and you know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.” Essence Hunters embody this philosophy, mastering the art of adaptation in their pursuit of growth. They are relentless seekers of martial knowledge, consuming the very essence of defeated foes to enhance their strength. Essence Hunters are renowned for their eclectic nature, typically being fueled by obsession and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge.
From the ashes of a desolate battle, fighters may undergo a transformation into Essence Hunters. In the aftermath of a grueling fight, some warriors, moved by respect for their fallen adversaries' prowess and a burning desire to learn from them, may awaken latent magical abilities, giving them the ability to consume their first essence. Characterized by their reverence for enemies and their unyielding commitment to personal evolution, Essence Hunters combine learned skills with innate magical adaptability to turn themselves into a living weapon.
However, their powers come at a cost. Branded as practitioners of necromancy, Essence Hunters face ostracism from society. Their supposed 'Essences' are seen as nothing less than stolen souls, their utilization condemned by moral and ethical standards.
At 3rd level, you realize that it is important not just to learn from your enemy, but to study them. You gain proficiency in the Insight skill and Painter’s Tools. Whenever make a Painter’s Tools check to draw, sketch, or paint a creature of a type that you have absorbed an Essence of, treat a roll of 10 or lower on the d20 as an 11.
The Art of Knowledge
Essence Weaving
When you reach 3rd level, you augment your martial prowess with the ability to weave Essence. Essences are separated by creature type, with each creature type causing different effects (see “Essence Types” below). Every basic Essence has a “Major Essence” and a “Minor Essence” effect.
Essence Anthology
You host an anthology of essences inside of your body. At 3rd level, you acquire one Essence type. This Essence type should be of the last creature you have fought. You can acquire Essences of different types to no limit.
Acquiring Essence
When you or your companions kill a creature of CR 1 or higher in combat, you may use your reaction to absorb its Essence. If you do not already have an Essence of that creature’s type, you may absorb its Essence permanently, granting you the ability to use its Essence’s power (see “Essence Types” below).
Optional Feature: Acquiring Supreme Essence
When you or your companions kill a creature that has at least one legendary action, you gain additional benefits if you absorb its Essence. Regardless of whether you already have an essence of that creature’s type, when you absorb its unique essence permanently, you are additionally granted a “Supreme Essence” (see “Preparing and Using Essences” below) that is unique to that creature.
Supreme Essence
Supreme Essences are a strange and powerful phenomena resulting from the soul of a uniquely talented creature, granting unique power.
Essence Weaving Ability
Essence Die
The potency of your Essence abilities is determined by your Essence Die. Your Essence Die is originally 1d4. At 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level, your Essence Die increases to 1d6, 1d8, 1d10, and 1d12.
Essence Save DC
Your Essence save DC is used by your Essence abilities with saving throw DCs. Your Essence save DC is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Essence Weaving (cont'd)
Preparing and Using Essences
Essence Nodes
You have a number of Essence Nodes equal to your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). Whenever you want to activate a Minor Essence power, you must use an Essence Node. Whenever you want to activate a Supreme Essence power (an absorbed legendary action), you must use two Essence Nodes. You regain all Essence Nodes when you finish a long rest.
Prepared Essences
You prepare the list of Essences that are available for you to use. To do so, choose a number of Essence types and Supreme Essences equal to twice your proficiency bonus. You can change your list of prepared Essences when you finish a long rest.
Major Essences
You can focus on a particular Essence, allowing you to wield even more of its power. After finishing a long rest, choose one Essence from your prepared list of Essences. You gain the benefits of its Major Essence power until you finish your next long rest. You can change your Major Essence when you finish a long rest, but if you remove your Major Essence from your prepared list of Essences, you must choose a new Major Essence.
Additionally, at 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level, you gain the ability to maintain an additional Major Essence.
Optional Feature: Supreme Essences
Supreme Essences are special, being unique to the creature they are absorbed from. When you first absorb a Supreme Essence, you gain an altered version of one of its legendary actions (this is recommended to happen after the session is done).
The following rules are applied to absorbed legendary actions:
- If the original legendary action rolls dice, the dice are replaced with a number of Essence Dice equal to your proficiency bonus.
- If the original legendary action has a DC save, it is replaced with your Essence save DC.
- Regardless of the original legendary action, the absorbed legendary action can only be used by replacing one of your attacks during the Attack action with it.
- You cannot absorb “Legendary Resistance.”
Using an absorbed legendary action costs two Essence Nodes. Once you use a Supreme Essence, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.
Regardless of recommended rules, legendary actions wildy vary, and it is recommended that the Dungeon Master adjust them on a case to case basis.
Absorbed Legendary Actions
Essence Adept
Starting at 7th level, when you absorb a killed creature’s essence with your reaction, you regain a number of hit points equal to a roll of your Essence Die.
Essence Master
Starting at 10th level, when you use a Minor Essence or Supreme Essence feature, you may expend one of your hit dies by rolling it. Take damage equal to the roll, and gain one of the following benefits:
- Increase the saving throw DC by 2.
- Add two additional Essence Dice to the damage roll.
Essence Artisan
At 15th level, your maximum number of Essence Nodes is increased by your Wisdom modifier (for a total of your proficiency bonus + two times your Wisdom modifier).
Essence Sage
At 18th level, whenever you spend an Essence Node you may make one weapon attack as a bonus action.
Essence Types
Every creature type has its own Essence type. Every Major Essence power is passive, and every Minor Essence power must be activated using 1 Essence Node. Whenever an ability requires a target to make a saving throw, it is against your Essence save DC.
Once per turn when you hit a creature with an attack, you may choose to push or pull the creature up to 10 feet closer or further away from you, in a straight line. When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can forgo one of your attacks to use this feature. You can reach out with your aberrant powers to grab a creature within 30 feet of you that is no more than one size category larger than yourself using tendrils of eldritch energy. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw. If you succeed, the target is grappled, and you can use your bonus action to move the creature to within 5 feet of you, granted that no obstacles are blocking the path. Once per turn when you make an attack roll and miss, you can use a bonus action to reroll the attack roll against a different target within range. Once per turn when you make an attack, you may choose to make it with advantage. If this attack hits, you may immediately make another attack against a different creature within range. Whenever a friendly creature (excluding yourself) makes a saving throw within 10 feet of you, you may use your reaction roll an Essence Die, adding the roll to their saving throw. When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can forgo one of your attacks to use this feature. Choose a target within 60 feet of you. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the target takes 2 Essence Dice of radiant damage, and the next attack against this target before the end of your next turn has advantage. On a success, the target takes half as much damage and suffers no additional effects. You gain a +1 to AC. Additionally, whenever you need to make a Dexterity saving throw, you may instead make a Strength saving throw. You can use your bonus action to target one creature within 10 feet of you. You and that creature gain temporary hit points equal to 1 Essence Die + your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1).
Aberration
Major Essence - Eldritch Manipulation
Minor Essence - Aberrant Grasp
Beast
Major Essence - Feral Ferocity
Minor Essence - Cornered Animal
Celestial
Major Essence - Radiant Blessing
Minor Essence - Unleashed Divinity
Construct
Major Essence - Sturdy Construction
Minor Essence - Structural Reinforcement
Dragon
Major Essence - Glorious Draco
Once per turn when you roll damage for a weapon attack, you can reroll one damage dice. You must use the new roll.
Minor Essence - Breath Weapon
When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can forgo one of your attacks to use this feature. You exhale destructive energy. It deals damage in a 15 foot cone in front of you. All creatures in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 3 Essence Dice on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one. You may choose for the damage to be fire, cold, lightning, acid, or poison damage.
Elemental
Major Essence - Elemental Power
Once per turn when you hit a creature with an attack, you may deal an additional Essence Die of damage. This damage can be fire, cold, thunder, or (magical) bludgeoning damage.
Minor Essence - Elemental Chaos
Once per turn when you hit a creature with an attack, you may sheath it in unstable elemental energy until the start of your next turn. If the creature willingly moves 5 feet or more before then, the target takes 3 Essence Dice of damage, and the effect ends. This damage can be fire, cold, thunder, or (magical) bludgeoning damage.
Fey
Major Essence - Fey Tricks
Whenever you make an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw you may roll an Essence Die, adding the roll to your saving throw.
Minor Essence - Fey Guile
Once per turn when you make an attack, you may choose to make it with advantage. If this attack hits, you can immediately teleport yourself to an unoccupied target location within 20 feet of yourself.
Fiend
Major Essence - Hell’s Gaze
You gain darkvision out to a range of 60 feet, and you can see through magical darkness. Additionally, you gain Blindsight out to a range of 20 feet.
Humanoid
Major Essence - Ultimate Adaptability
At the end of a long rest, you temporarily learn one additional Fighting Style option of your choice from the fighter class.
Minor Essence - Genius Counterattack
Whenever a creature misses you with an attack, you may use your reaction to make an attack against that creature if it is in range.
Monstrosity
Major Essence - Unending Anguish
Once per attack, when you damage a creature and roll maximum on any damage dice, you may roll one additional damage dice.
Minor Essence - Unspeakable Horror
Once per turn when you make an attack, you may choose to make it with advantage. If this attack hits, the creature must make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of its next turn.
Ooze
Major Essence - Rancid Body
Any creature that ends its turn within 5 feet of you must immediately take one Essence Die of acid or poison damage (your choice).
Minor Essence - Protective Sludge
You can use your reaction to reduce the damage of an incoming melee attack. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by one Essence Die, and the attacker immediately takes one Essence Die of acid or poison damage (your choice).
Plant
Major Essence - Nourishing Roots
At the beginning of your turn when in combat, you may choose to reduce your movement speed to 0 until the end of your turn. If you do, regain hit points equal to your proficiency bonus.
Minor Essence - Sapping Strike
Once per turn when you make an attack, you can choose to make it with advantage. If the attack hits, you regain hit points equal to the result of rolling one Essence Die.
Undead
Major Essence - Hollow Soul
You may use your action to immediately end one of the following conditions on yourself: Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, or Frightened.
Minor Essence - Called by the Grave
You call upon the undead in the ground beneath your target to hold them in place. Once per turn when you make an attack, you may choose to make it with advantage. If this attack hits, the creature must make a Wisdom saving throw or have its movement speed reduced to 0 until the end of its next turn.
ART CREDIT
| Page | Artist |
|---|---|
| 1 | JLIEN- |
| 2 | Daniel Eichinger |
| 3 | Seeker |
| 4 | Perunarehu |