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. \columnbreak
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. ### The Art of Knowledge 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. \pagebreakNum ### 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 \pagebreakNum
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. > ##### Absorbed Legendary Actions > Regardless of recommended rules, legendary actions wildy vary, and it is recommended that the Dungeon Master adjust them on a case to case basis. \pagebreakNum \columnbreak ### 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. \pagebreakNum # 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. ### Aberration #### Major Essence - Eldritch Manipulation 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. #### Minor Essence - Aberrant Grasp 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. ### Beast #### Major Essence - Feral Ferocity 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. #### Minor Essence - Cornered Animal 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. \columnbreak ### Celestial #### Major Essence - Radiant Blessing 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. #### Minor Essence - Unleashed Divinity 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. ### Construct #### Major Essence - Sturdy Construction You gain a +1 to AC. Additionally, whenever you need to make a Dexterity saving throw, you may instead make a Strength saving throw. #### Minor Essence - Structural Reinforcement 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). \pagebreakNum ### 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. \columnbreak ### 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. #### Minor Essence - Fiendish Authority When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can forgo one of your attacks to use this feature. You choose one creature within 60 feet of yourself. That creature must succeed a Charisma saving throw, or immediately make an attack against a target of your choosing within its range. If the attack hits, it deals an additional Essence Die of damage. The target may willingly fail the saving throw. ### Giant #### Major Essence - Titanic Reach When you make a melee attack, your reach for it is 5 feet greater than normal. #### Minor Essence - Colossal Hurl When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can forgo one of your attacks to use this feature. You choose one creature within your reach, the creature must succeed on a Dexterity or Strength saving throw (their choice) or be picked up by you. You may then immediately throw them at a target within 15 feet of yourself. They take 2 Essence Dice of damage and are knocked prone. If the secondary target is another creature, they must make a Dexterity saving throw or be hit by the thrown creature, also taking 2 Essence Dice of damage and being knocked prone. \pagebreakNum ### 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). \columnbreak ### 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. \pagebreakNum # ART CREDIT | Page | Artist | |:---:|:-----------:| | 1 | [JLIEN-](https://twitter.com/jliennnn?lang=en) | | 2 | [Daniel Eichinger](https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/daniel_eichinger/) | | 3 | [Seeker](https://www.pixiv.net/en/users/694807) | | 4 | [Perunarehu](https://www.instagram.com/perunarehu/) |