Herald of the Planes
Astral Plane
The Astral Plane is a great, endless gravityless space of clear silvery sky, both above and below, where lost travelers would hover forever, where children of Gith would build their cities, and where dead gods were deposited. Erratic whirlpools of color flicker in midair like spinning coins.
The Astral Plane is not exactly known as the home of any god, but some used to wander around it, or pass through during adventures. The god that chooses you can be Celestian, Sardior, Bhaal, Leira, or any other that is used to visiting the plane.
Planar Spells
Starting at 3rd level, your connection to the plane of the silvery sea grants you access to certain spells.
Planar Spells
| Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3 | Sleep, Calm Emotions |
| 5 | Intellect Fortress, Major Image |
| 9 | Confusion, Geas |
| 13 | Forbiddance, Sequester |
| 17 | Telepathy, Astral Projection |
Mana Exchange: Planar Guardian
When choosing this subclass at 3rd level, you define the type of creatures that you can summon as your Planar Guardian, which is any type of creature that can be found on the Astral Plane: Githyankis as they are one of the only humanoids living in the Astral Plane, and other creatures like Berbalangs, Star spawns, Angels, Devils, Night Hags, Yugoloths, Red Dragons, Amethyst Dragons and almost all kinds of aberrations.
Improving Your Planar Guardian
You also gain a new option that you can choose to enhance your Planar Guardian:
Mind Barrier
(Costs 2 spell slots)
The guardian gains proficiency in Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma saving throws.
Mana Exchange: Time
Starting at 3rd level, you gain a Mana Exchange option that allows you to restore expended spell slots by sacrificing your time.
During a short rest, you can enter a state of time stasis for 10 minutes to restore one expended spell slot. While in stasis, time does not pass for you — you are considered Petrified without turning to stone. While in this state, you are immune to all damage and conditions.
You can restore a number of spell slots equal to your proficiency bonus using this feature. Once you have restored the maximum number of slots, you must complete a long rest before using this feature again.
Astral Wisdom
When choosing this plane at 3rd level, you improve your connection with your astral self. You gain the following benefits:
- You gain proficiency with light and medium armor and with shortswords, longswords, and greatswords;
- When you attack with a weapon, you can use your Wisdom modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls;
- If get attacked while being within 1.5m (5ft) of your guardian, you can use your reaction to transfer half the damage of the attack to your guardian.
Gish Summoner
At 6th level, you learned combat techniques from the Gith that live in the Astral Plane. When you use your action to cast a cantrip, you can make one weapon attack as a free action.
Additionally, if you command your guardian to use its Protect action on you, it can also make a single melee weapon attack as a free action.
Spiritual Movement
At 11th level, you can move in any plane as if you were in the astral plane. You have a flying speed (in feet) equal to 3 x your Intelligence score and can hover. You also no longer age or suffer from hunger or thirst.
If your guardian can fly, it can also hover.
Astral Storm
At 18th level, you can bring the psychic winds from the Astral Plane to the plane that you are.
Using an action and expending 5 spell slots, you can conjure a psychic wind that affects an area of a cube with 50 feet of size centered on a point of your choice up to 150 feet away. The wind affects all creatures inside its area.
Any creature that moves inside the wind's area takes 8d6 psychic damage and becomes Poisoned until it leaves the wins's area. After a wind deals damage to a creature, it can't deal any damage to the same creature again for the duration. Any creature that takes damage from a psychic wind automatically fails any checks made to determine directions or to follow/track anything for the duration of the wind.
Any creature that is traveling and passes by the wind's area becomes lost. They add 2d6 hours to their travel time. The wind stays up for 1 hour in place, diverting creatures from their path and making travelers lost. You can end a psychic wind at any moment using an action.
Feywild
The Feywild, also called the Plane of Faerie, is a land of soft lights and wonder, a place of music and death. It is a realm of everlasting twilight, with glittering faerie lights bobbing in the gentle breeze and fat fireflies buzzing through groves and fields. The sky is alight with the faded colors of an ever-setting sun, which never truly sets (or rises for that matter); it remains stationary, dusky and low in the sky.
Away from the settled areas ruled by the seelie fey that compose the Summer Court, the land is a tangle of sharp-toothed brambles and syrupy fens -- perfect territory for the unseelie fey to hunt their prey.
The Feywild is also widely known as the the origin plane of the elves. The god that chooses you can be any of the most famous Archfey such as Baba Yaga, Titania or Oberon, or more obscure deities from the Feydark like Psilofyr.
Planar Spells
Starting at 3rd level, your connection to the plane of the silvery sea grants you access to certain spells.
Planar Spells
| Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3 | Faerie Fire, Sleep |
| 5 | Calm Emotions, Misty Step |
| 9 | Blink, Charm Person |
| 13 | Confusion, Greater Invisibility |
| 17 | Seeming, Conjure Fey |
Mana Exchange: Planar Guardian
When choosing this subclass at 3rd level, you define the type of creatures that you can summon as your Planar Guardian, which is any type of creature that can be found on the Feywild: Sylvan creatures, such as elves, dryads, satyrs, pixies and centaurs; And magical creatures such as blink dogs, unicorns and treants. The darker regions of the plane are home to such malevolent creatures as blights, hags, goblins, ogres and giants.
Improving Your Planar Guardian
You also gain new options that you can choose to enhance your Planar Guardian:
New Action: Invisibility
(Costs 2 spell slots)
The guardian becomes invisible for 1 minute. Any equipment it wears or carries becomes invisible with it. The invisibility ends if it attacks or casts a spell.
Mana Exchange: Knowledge
Starting at 3rd level, you gain the ability to sacrifice your knowledge to regain magical power.
During a short rest, you can restore expended spell slots by sacrificing proficiencies or languages. For each spell slot restored, you must sacrifice any combination of two proficiencies or languages of your choice. You regain the benefits of the sacrificed proficiencies and languages after a long rest. If you sacrifice a proficiency with a skill that benefits from expertise, you lose the expertise instead.
You can restore a number of spell slots equal to your proficiency bonus using this feature. Once you have restored the maximum number of slots, you must complete a long rest before using this feature again.
Fey Trickery
Starting at 6th level, you can steal knowledge from others, mimicking the sly nature of the fey.
As an action, you can target a creature that can hear and understand you and use your Mana Exchange: Knowledge feature. You sacrifice one proficiency or language, while the creature sacrifices another if it fails an Intelligence saving throw against your spell save DC. On a success, the feature has no effect, and no proficiencies or languages are lost by either party.
You choose whether the target loses a proficiency or a language, but the GM determines which specific one is lost. Alternatively, you can name a proficiency or language; if the target does not possess it, the feature fails.
Affected creatures gain back their lost knowledge after a long rest, just as you do. A creature affected by this feature does not instinctively realize that you used magic on them, but magical detection or special abilities may reveal the interference.
Veil of the Wizen
At 11th level, the fey influence shields your mind and your guardian from discovery. Both you and your Planar Guardian gain advantage on saving throws against spells that would reveal your location, thoughts, or true nature, such as Detect Thoughts, Scrying or Faerie Fire.
Glimmering Strike
At 18th level, you imbue your Planar Guardian with the mystical power of the Feywild. When your Planar Guardian breaks invisibility by attacking, the attack deals an additional 2d12 psychic damage. If the attack hits, you regain one expended spell slot.
Shadowfell
The Plane of the Shadow, as it is sometimes called the Shadowfell, is a dimension of black, gray, and white; It is a place of darkness with neither sun nor stars in the sky. The landscapes are dark, twisted and warped, being home to sinister creatures. The entity that chooses you can be one of those that claimed the plane as theirs, such as the Raven Queen, Shar, Mask, or even Strahd; or maybe a deity with dark powers that sometimes wanders through the plane like Vecna.
Planar Spells
Starting at 3rd level, your connection to the plane of shadow grants you access to certain spells.
Planar Spells
| Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3 | Ray of Sickness, Darkness |
| 5 | Fear, Animate Dead |
| 9 | Summon Undead, Phantasmal Killer |
| 13 | Danse Macabre, Wall of Shadow* |
| 17 | Eyebite, Maddening Darkness |
Mana Exchange: Planar Guardian
When choosing this subclass at 3rd level, you define the type of creatures that you can summon as your Planar Guardian, which is any type of creature that can be found on the Shadowfell: Shadow dragons, vampires, the Shadar-Kai, several types of undead, including wraiths, specters and ghosts, as well as other creatures that thrive in the gloom, including cloakers, darkmantles, banderhobbs and bodaks. You also often find beasts such as ravens and spiders.
Improving Your Planar Guardian
You also gain new options that you can choose to enhance your Planar Guardian:
New Ability: Rupture
(Costs 1 spell slot)
When The guardian is reduced to 0 hit points, it releases a burst of necrotic energy in a cloud of ash. Each creature within 5 feet of the guardian must make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, a creature takes a number of d6s equal to your proficiency bonus in necrotic damage. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage.
You can spend 1 additional spell slot to improve this ability. If you do, creatures that fail the saving throw also become poisoned for 1 minute.
Mana Exchange: Souls
Starting at 3rd level, you gain a Mana Exchange option that allows you to restore expended spell slots by sending souls to your patron.
With an action, you can touch the corpse of a creature that has died within the past hour. If the creature possessed a soul, you can send it to your patron, restoring one expended spell slot.
You can restore a number of spell slots equal to your proficiency bonus using this feature. Once you have restored the maximum number of slots, you must complete a long rest before using this feature again.
Shadow-vision
At 3rd level, you connect yourself with the shadows. Both you and your Planar Guardian can see normally in darkness, both magical and non-magical, to a distance of 60 feet.
Undead Power Source
Starting at 6th level, you gain the ability to siphon vitality from the undead. As an action, you can touch an undead creature you control and steal its undead life essence. When you do, your hit point maximum increases by 2d6 + your proficiency bonus, and the undead's hit point maximum decreases by the same amount.
The increase to your hit point maximum lasts until your next long rest.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all uses after a long rest.
Cloak of the Raven Queen
Starting at 11th level, you and your guardian become involved by a dark thin shadow that resembles a cloak. While in dim light or darkness, you and your Planar Guardian have the following benefits:
- Resistance to radiant damage;
- Your weapon attacks deal necrotic damage instead of their normal damage;
Additionally, you can use your action to make a creature within 9m (30ft), that is in dim light or darkness, vulnerable to necrotic damage until the start of your next turn.
Umbra Maxima
Starting at 18th level, you can turn off light sources to create more darkness. Using an action, you can turn off a light source up to 18m/60ft away. Light soucers turned off in this way become involted by dark energy and can't be turned on again for 1 minute.
If you turn off a magical light source, then you can't turn off any other magical sources until you finish a long rest.
Mount Celestia
The Seven Heavens of Mount Celestia, also called the Seven Mountains of Goodness and Law, Seven Mounting Heavens of Celestia or just simply Celestia, are the model of justice and order, of celestial grace and endless mercy, where angels and champions of good guard against incursions of evil. It is one of the few places on the planes where travelers can let down their guard. Its inhabitants strive constantly to be as righteous as possible. All aspects of Celestia are beautiful and perfect; it is where the souls of many creatures of lawful good alignment go to after death.
The god that chooses you can be any lawful good deity like Tyr, Bahamut, Moradin or Zaphkiel.
Planar Spells
Starting at 3rd level, the plane of righteousness blesses you with additional spells.
Planar Spells
| Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3 | Sanctuary, Lesser Restoration |
| 5 | Remove Curse, Revivify |
| 9 | Holy Weapon, Greater Restoration |
| 13 | Temple Of The Gods, Resurrection |
| 17 | Power Word Heal, True Resurrection |
Mana Exchange: Planar Guardian
When choosing this subclass at 3rd level, you define the type of creatures that you can summon as your Planar Guardian, which is any type of creature that can be found in this plane. Mount Celestia is not so much the plane of creatures, as it is more the plane of the gods, but you can find several types of celestials laying around: archons, solars, hollyphants, planetars, foo creatures, devas, agathia, shedu, lammasu, ki-rin, dragon horses and many others. It's also the plane of the lawful good, being home to bronze, silver and gold dragons, tortles, nagas and others.
Improving Your Planar Guardian
You also gain new options that you can choose to enhance your Planar Guardian:
New Ability: Savior
(Costs 1 spell slot)
The guardian becomes immune to the Frightened condition.
New Ability: Blessed Guardian
(Costs 3 spell slots)
The guardian adds 1d4 to all rolls it makes. Additionally, whenever the guardian takes damage, reduce the damage by 1d4.
If your transcendental level is 12 or higher, the damage reduction increases to 2d4.
Mana Exchange: Virtue
Starting at 3rd level, you gain a Mana Exchange option that allows you to restore expended spell slots by giving up access to simple magic.
During a short rest, you can forgo one cantrip that you know, temporarily removing it from your list of known spells, to restore one expended spell slot. The cantrip cannot be used until you finish a long rest.
When you sacrifice a cantrip in this way, both you and your guardian regain a number of hit points equal to 1d10 + your proficiency bonus.
You can restore a number of spell slots equal to your proficiency bonus using this feature. Once you have restored the maximum number of slots, you must complete a long rest before using this feature again.
Luminance
At 6th level, you gain the ability to control radiancy. As an action, you choose a creature within 1.5m (5ft.) of you or of your guardian and force it to make a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC. If they fail, they become blind as they turn into a light source, emitting bright light in a 9m (30ft) radius and dim light for an additional 9m (30ft). Additionally, at the start of their turns, they take radiant damage equal to your Transcendental level bu they can then repeat the saving throw, ending all effects on a success.
Hallowed Summons
Starting at 11th level, you gain new ways to support your Planar Guardian:
Healing. As an action, restore a number of hit points to your guardian equal to one-third of its maximum hit points (rounded up). You can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Restoration. As an action, you can end one condition currently affecting your guardian. You can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
You must be able to see your Planar Guardian to use these abilities.
Guardian Resurrection
At 18th level, you can reactively bring your Planar Guardian back from the dead in the middle of the fight. When your guardian is reduced to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction and spend 6 spell slots to bring it back to life. Your guardian is restored to half its maximum hit points.
You must be able to see your Planar Guardian to use this ability. Once you use this ability, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.
The Abyss
The Abyss embodies all that is perverse, gruesome, and chaotic. Its virtually endless layers spiral downward into ever more appalling forms. Each layer of the Abyss boasts its own horrific environment. Although no two layers are alike, they are all harsh and inhospitable. Each layer also reflects the entropic nature of the Abyss. In fact, much of what one sees or touches on the plane seems to be in a decaying, crumbling, or corroded state.
The God that chooses you can be any chaotic evil deity like Demogorgon, Baphomet, Orcus, Umberlee or Lolth.
You don't need to be evil to use the powers of the Abyss, but it is weird that an evil god would choose you as their herald if you were a good person. Up to your GM's discretion, you will need to have done at least one act of great vileness to prove your worth to them.
Planar Spells
Starting at 3rd level, the plane of agonizing and endless chaos provides you with additional spells.
Planar Spells
| Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3 | Cause Fear, Shatter |
| 5 | Crown of Madness, Enemies Abound |
| 9 | Bestow Curse, Fear |
| 13 | Blight, Phantasmal Killer |
| 17 | Destructive Wave, Harm |
Mana Exchange: Planar Guardian
When choosing this subclass at 3rd level, you define the type of creatures that you can summon as your Planar Guardian, which is any type of creature that can be found on The Abyss. The main layers have demons of all types, but across all layers you'll also find abyssal creatures and any type of creature with a chaotic evil alignment.
Improving Your Planar Guardian
You also gain new options that you can choose to enhance your Planar Guardian:
Disfigure
(Costs 2 spell slots)
Mutate the guardian into a twisted monstrosity. Roll 1d4 to determine the mutation. At 5th level or higher, roll 1d6 instead.
| d6 | Mutation |
|---|---|
| 1 | The guardian grows a pair of tentacles, gaining one additional attack per turn. |
| 2 | The guardian grows an additional head, granting it a +1d6 bonus to saving throws. |
| 3 | The guardian develops spiked bones, dealing 1d10 damage to any creature that makes a melee attack against it. |
| 4 | The guardian grows spider legs, increasing its climbing speed and jump distance by 6m (20ft). |
| 5 | The guardian grows several eyes on its body, allowing it to cast Hypnotic Pattern once per long rest. |
| 6 | The guardian excretes a heavy mucus, granting it the ability to cast Stinking Cloud once per long rest. |
You can spend 2 additional spell slots to roll for a second mutation and 3 additional spell slots to roll for a third mutation. All mutations stack.
After each long rest, your guardian’s mutations change. For each mutation your guardian currently has, roll it again to replace it with a new mutation from the table (which may be the same mutation).
Mana Exchange: Sacrifice
Starting at 3rd level, you gain a Mana Exchange option that allows you to restore expended spell slots.
During a short rest, you can use your Portian Key to consume your own life force and restore mana. Choose a number of d3s to roll (up to your proficiency bonus). You take necrotic damage equal to the total rolled and restore one spell slot for each die rolled.
You can restore a number of spell slots equal to your proficiency bonus using this feature. Once you have restored the maximum number of slots, you must complete a long rest before using this feature again.
The Word of the Abyss
At 3rd level, you learn to speak Abyssal.
Chaos Ripples
Starting at 6th level, when you or your guardian take damage from an enemy within 1,5m (5ft), you can use your reaction to release a surge of chaotic energy.
The attacker takes a number of d4s equal to your proficiency bonus in fire damage, is pushed 3m (10ft) away, and must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC or fall prone.
Warped Reality
At 11th level, the chaotic energy of the Abyss twists the environment around you. As an action, you release a tar-like, bubbling substance that transforms the area around you into an Abyssal landscape. The area is a 12m (40ft) square originating from you that spreads around corners, and lasts for 1 minute. You can create this area once per long rest.
The area becomes difficult terrain for all creatures except you and your Planar Guardian.
Dark hands and tentacles emerge from the tar, reaching up to 12m (40ft) above the area. Creatures that fly or hover within this height must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, the creature is pulled to the ground and cannot use its flying speed while within the tar.
Unleashed Chaos
Starting at 18th level, you unleash the full might of the Abyss. As an action, you can cast a destructive wave of chaotic energy in a 9m (30ft) radius centered on yourself. Creatures of your choice must make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or take 8d6 force damage. On a successful save, they take half damage.
Whenever you roll a 5 or a 6 on a damage die, choose a creature in the range of the wave to become blind or prone (your choice), regardless if they succeed or failed the saving throw, and then roll an additional die.
You can use this ability once per long rest.
Mechanus
The Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus, sometimes also called just Nirvana or just Mechanus, is a plane of pure law, filled with clockwork gears, all interlocked and turning according to measure. The cogs seem to be engaged in a calculation so vast that no deity can fathom its purpose. Modrons are the primary inhabitants of Mechanus. The plane is also home to the creator of the modrons: a godlike being called Primus.
The entity that chooses you can be gods worshipped in Mechanus like Primus, Yama, Lendys or Mystra. Alternatively, the Nirvana itself — a metaphysical concept representing perfection and divine ascension — may serve as your patron. You can also be chosen by an inevitable, a godlike construct tasked with enforcing cosmic law. Each different type of inevitable oversees a specific facet of order.
Planar Spells
Starting at 3rd level, the plane of ultimate law provides you with additional spells.
Planar Spells
| Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3 | Alarm, Zone of Truth |
| 5 | Arcane Lock, Slow |
| 9 | Tiny Servant, Counterspell |
| 13 | Otiluke's Resilient Sphere, Rary's Telepathic Bond |
| 17 | Find the Path, Wall of Force |
Mana Exchange: Planar Guardian
When choosing this subclass at 3rd level, you determine the options of Planar Guardians that you can summon. You can summon any creature that can be found in Mechanus as your Planar Guardian.
The Clockwork Plane is composed mainly of constructs, specially modrons, and lots of lawful neutral creatures like the Formian folk. It's also home of maruts, a type of inevitable, but these are too powerful for a transcendental to summon or control.
Improving Your Planar Guardian
You also gain new options that you can choose to enhance your Planar Guardian:
Axiomatic Mind
(Costs 1 spell slot)
The guardian can't be compelled to act in a manner contrary to your instructions.
Gyroscope Module
(Costs 2 spell slots)
The guardian cannot suffer disadvantage on its attack rolls.
Acclimation Module
(Costs 2 spell slots)
The guardian gains resistance to a damage type of your choice. You can choose this option multiple times, selecting a different damage type each time.
Utility Module
(Costs 1 spell slot)
The guardian gains proficiency with a tool that you are proficient with. You can choose this option multiple times, selecting a different tool each time.
Mana Exchange: Abandon Greed
Starting at 3rd level, you gain a Mana Exchange option that allows you to restore expended spell slots by renouncing material wealth.
During a short rest, you may sacrifice gold pieces to regain spell slots equal to half the amount sacrificed (rounded down). Sacrificing money means letting go of the material greed, which gives you more wisdom and makes you more connected to your spiritual self.
You can restore a number of spell slots equal to your proficiency bonus using this feature. Once you have restored the maximum number of slots, you must complete a long rest before using this feature again.
Ascended Defense
Starting at 3rd level, you start to acquire a mix of construct characteristics and monk features. Your skin becomes harder like metal, and you understand better the combat discipline of a monk.
Your character's AC without armor or shield becomes 11 + your Wisdom modifier.
Feeling the Weavings
Starting at 6th level, you and your guardian learn to connect yourselves to the forces that guides all planes in existence. While you and your guardian are on the same plane of existence, you always know a path to reach each other.
Additionally, when you cast a spell that targets a single creature, you can always choose your guardian as a target, ignoring any requirements and the range, provided you are on the same plane of existence. You must still expend the spell slot and provide all necessary components.
Lawful Bodies
At 11th level, your connection to the plane of ultimate order protects you and your guardian against transformation effects.
Both you and your Planar Guardian become immune to any spell or effect that would alter your form against your will.
Additionally, neither of you can be compelled to act against your will or have your alignment changed.
Cosmic Contract
At 11th level, you can request a contract to an inevitable Kolyarut, a mechanical engine of absolute jurisprudence. When you use this feature, you and a willing creature of your choice are transported to The Hall of Concordance in Sigil, The City of Doors, located in the plane called The Outlands.
You must present a written contract agreed upon by both parties and pay the Kolyarut 1,000 gp to forge a magical version of the agreement onto a sheet of gold, which you both sign. The contract is then placed within the Kolyarut’s chest. After the contract is sealed, you both return to your original location, and you gain 2 levels of exhaustion.
From that moment until the contract is fulfilled, the Kolyarut is bound to enforce its terms and to punish any party who breaks them. It resorts to lethal force only when a contract calls for it, when the contract is fully broken, or when it is attacked.
You can request a Kolyarut's service once. At 15th level, you gain another use of this feature, and at 20th level your third and last use.
Shaped by the Nirvana
At 18th level, you get more and more close to the Nirvana, and gain more mechanical qualities. Your gain the following features:
- Your creature type becomes construct.
- You are immune to poison damage, disease and the poisoned condition.
- You don't need to eat, drink, or breathe.
- You no longer need to sleep and cannot be put to sleep by magic. However, you must still rest to gain the benefits of a long rest.
The Contents of a Contract
Inevitables care nothing for the spirit of an agreement, only the letter. They enforce what is written, not what was meant by or supposed to be understood from the writing. A Kolyarut rejects contracts that contain vague, contradictory, or unenforceable terms. Beyond that, it doesn't care whether both parties understand what they're agreeing to.
A small army of solicitors waits outside the Hall of Concordance, eager to sell their expertise in the crafting or vetting of contracts.
To ensure your contract is accepted by a Kolyarut, it must be flawless. Preparing a perfect contract requires a workweek of effort. At the end of this period, make an Intelligence check. If you have proficiency with Calligrapher’s Supplies, you can add your proficiency bonus to the roll. On a result of 21 or higher, your contract is flawless and will be accepted without issue. On a result of 20 or lower, you may still present the contract, but at a risk of being rejected.