The Operative
The Operative
| Class Level |
Class Features |
Focus Points |
Exploits Known |
Sneak Attack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Cunning Action, Versatile Defense | — | — | — |
| 2nd | Focus, Operative Exploits | 1 | 2 | — |
| 3rd | Sneak Attack, Operative Subclass | 2 | 2 | 2d6 |
| 4th | Ability Score Improvement, Major Feat | 2 | 2 | 2d6 |
| 5th | Extra Reaction, Uncanny Dodge | 3 | 2 | 3d6 |
| 6th | Subclass feature, Minor Feat | 3 | 2 | 3d6 |
| 7th | Distracting Dodge | 4 | 3 | 4d6 |
| 8th | Ability Score Improvement, Major Feat | 4 | 3 | 4d6 |
| 9th | Reflexive | 5 | 3 | 5d6 |
| 10th | Subclass feature, Minor Feat | 5 | 3 | 5d6 |
| 11th | Focus Improvements | 6 | 4 | 6d6 |
| 12th | Ability Score Improvement, Major Feat | 6 | 4 | 6d6 |
| 13th | Reliable Skills | 7 | 4 | 7d6 |
| 14th | Subclass feature, Minor Feat | 7 | 4 | 7d6 |
| 15th | Use Enhanced Device | 8 | 5 | 8d6 |
| 16th | Ability Score Improvement, Major Feat | 8 | 5 | 8d6 |
| 17th | Elusive | 9 | 5 | 9d6 |
| 18th | Subclass feature, Minor Feat | 9 | 5 | 9d6 |
| 19th | Operative Capstone, Focus Capstone | 10 | 5 | 10d6 |
| 20th | Ability Score Capstone | 10 | 5 | 10d6 |
Class Traits
As an Operative, you gain the following class traits.
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d10 per Operative level
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per Operative level after 1st
Proficiencies
- Skills: Any three of your choice
- Tools: Any two of your choice
- Armor: Light and medium armor
- Weapons: Simple and intermediate weapons
- Saving Throws: Reflex
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) partial light armor and 250 cr; (b) minimal medium armor; or (c) 500 cr
- (a) light energy shield and 375 cr; (b) medium physical shield and 350 cr; or (c) 500 cr
- (a) longsword and 200 cr; (b) hand crossbow, 20 bolts, and 205 cr; or (c) 500 cr
- focus icon and (a) one creator's implements or provider's kit and 100 cr; (b) one gaming set or musical instrument and 250 cr; or (c) 400 cr
Class Features
As an Operative, you gain the following class features.
1st level: Cunning Action
Your quick thinking and agility allow you to move and act quickly. You can take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide actions as a bonus action, as long as you aren’t wearing heavy armor.
1st level: Versatile Defense
Intelligence is your Versatile Defense ability. While you are unarmored, you add your Versatile Defense ability modifier to your AC. While you are wearing armor, you can use your Versatile Defense ability modifier instead of your Dexterity modifier when determining your AC.
2nd level: Focus
Your training allows you to harness the intriguing energy of focus. Chapter 10 features the complete rules for focus.
Focus Points. Your access to this energy is represented by a number of focus points equal to half your operative level, as shown in the Focus Points column of the operative table, + your focus ability modifier (discussed below).
Focus Ability. You use Intelligence for your focus ability.
Focus Features. You can spend these points to fuel various focus features. You start knowing three such features: Covert Action, Dashing Onslaught, and Guerrilla Tactics. You learn more focus features as you gain levels in this class.
Covert Action
When you would use your bonus action to Hide, you can spend 1 focus point to instead use your reaction.
Dashing Onslaught
When you would use your bonus action to Dash, you can spend 1 focus point to instead use your reaction.
Guerrilla Tactics
When you would use your bonus action to Disengage, you can spend 1 focus point to instead use your reaction.
2nd level: Operative Exploits
You've adopted two exploits, as detailed at the end of the class description, and you gain more at higher levels, as shown in the Exploits Known column of the Operative table.
3rd level: Sneak Attack
You know how to strike subtly and exploit a foe's distraction. Once per turn, you can deal an additional 2d6 damage to one creature you hit with a weapon attack, as long as you aren’t wearing heavy armor and you meet one of the following conditions:
- You have advantage on the attack roll.
- Another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn't incapacitated, and you don't have disadvantage on the attack roll.
The attack must use a physical or a ranged weapon. The amount of additional damage increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Sneak Attack column of the operative table.
Additionally, you learn to take advantage of the precision of your strikes to apply additional effects. When you deal Sneak Attack damage, you may choose to forgo two of your Sneak Attack dice to perform a precision strike. You start with one such effect—Cunning Appraisal—and can learn additional effects from your exploits.
Some of your precision strikes require your target to make a saving throw to resist the strike’s effects. The saving throw DC is your focus save DC.
Cunning Appraisal
You learn to appraise a target, learning statistics about their abilities. The target must make a Fortitude, Reflex, or Will saving throw (your choice). On a failed save, you learn the ability score the creature used for the saving throw as well as whether the creature is proficient in that saving throw. You can use this precision strike twice. You gain an additional use at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th level. You regain all expended uses when you complete a short or long rest. While you have no remaining uses of it, you can instead spend 1 focus point to use it. When you do so, your maximum focus points are reduced by 1 until you complete a long rest.
3rd level: Operative Subclass
You choose an operative subclass, which is detailed at the end of the class description, after the Operative Exploits.
4th level: Ability Score Improvement
Increase an ability score of your choice by 1.
4th level: Major Feat
You gain a major feat of your choice.
5th level: Extra Reaction
You gain a second reaction.
5th level: Honed Focus
You learn two new focus features: Precision Focus and Uncanny Dodge.
Precision Focus
When you deal Sneak Attack damage to a creature, you can spend 1 focus point to make a focus attack against the target (no action required). If the target is within your reach, you can make a melee focus attack. Otherwise, you make a ranged focus attack. On a hit, the creature takes two additional Sneak Attack dice of damage.
Uncanny Dodge
Once per round, when an attacker that you can see deals damage to you with an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack's damage against you. You can use this ability a second time in a round by spending 1 focus point as a part of the same reaction to use it.
6th level: Subclass Feature
You gain a feature from your subclass.
6th level: Minor Feat
You gain a minor feat of your choice.
7th level: Distracting Dodge
When you use your action to Dodge, once before the start of your next turn, when a creature you can see who can see or hear you makes an ability check, you can use your reaction to grant a d6 boon or bane die. Once you’ve used this feature on a creature, you can’t do so again until you complete a long rest.
This die increases to d8 at 9th level, d10 at 13th level, and d12 at 17th level.
8th level: Ability Score Improvement
Increase an ability score of your choice by 1.
8th level: Major Feat
You gain a major feat of your choice.
9th level: Reflexive
When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Reflex saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on a saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
10th level: Subclass Feature
You gain a feature from your subclass.
10th level: Minor Feat
You gain a minor feat of your choice.
11th level: Focus Improvements
You learn improvements that allow you to better hone your focus abilities.
Covert Action
When you would use your bonus action to Hide, you can now spend 2 focus points to instead use your object interaction.
Dashing Onslaught
When you would use your bonus action to Dash, you can now spend 2 focus points instead use your object interaction.
Guerrilla Tactics
When you would use your bonus action to Disengage, you can now spend 2 focus points to instead use your object interaction.
If you could already take the Hide, Dash, or Disengage actions as a reaction without a focus cost, reducing it to your object interaction only costs 1 focus point, instead of 2.
12th level: Ability Score Improvement
Increase an ability score of your choice by 1.
12th level: Major Feat
You gain a major feat of your choice.
13th level: Reliable Skills
Ability checks you make in which you are at least proficient gain a minimum roll threshold, discussed in chapter 7. Additionally, when you fail an ability check in which you are at least proficient, you can spend 1 focus point to repeat the check.
14th level: Subclass Feature
You gain a feature from your subclass.
14th level: Minor Feat
You gain a minor feat of your choice.
15th level: Use Enhanced Device
You have learned enough about the workings of enhanced items that you can improvise the use of items even when they are not intended for you. You ignore all species, class, and level requirements on the use of enhanced items.
16th level: Ability Score Improvement
Increase an ability score of your choice by 1.
16th level: Major Feat
You gain a major feat of your choice.
17th level: Elusive
As long as you aren’t incapacitated, attack rolls against you can’t have advantage.
18th level: Subclass Feature
You gain a feature from your subclass.
18th level: Minor Feat
You gain a minor feat of your choice.
19th level: Operative Capstone
If you miss with an attack, you can instead choose to hit. Alternatively, when you hit with an attack, you can instead choose to critically hit, as if you’d rolled a 20 on the d20.
Additionally, if you fail an ability check, you can choose to treat it as if if you’d rolled a 20 on the d20.
Once you've used this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
19th level: Focus Capstone
When you roll initiative, you can choose to recover up to four expended focus points. Once you've done so, you must complete a short or long rest before you can do so again.
20th level: Ability Score Capstone
Increase two different ability scores of your choice by 2. The maximum for these scores increases by 2.
Operative Exploits
The exploits are presented in alphabetical order.
Armored Exploit
You gain proficiency in heavy armor, and you can benefit from your Cunning Action and deal Sneak Attack damage while wearing heavy armor. Additionally, while unarmored, you can add your Versatile Defense ability modifier as DR instead of AC.
Dabbler's Exploit
You adopt a fighting dabble. Choose one of the Fighting Dabble options, detailed in Chapter 6. When you complete a long rest, you can change this dabble out for another one.
You can take this exploit more than once.
Elementalcasting Exploit
- Prerequisite: The ability to cast
When you deal Sneak Attack damage, you can choose to deal your choice of acid, cold, entropic, fire, kinetic, lightning, mental, necrotic, or sonic damage.
Additionally, when you do so, you may choose to forgo two of your Attack Dice to force the target to succeed on a paired saving throw against your focus save DC or gain 1 level of the paired condition until the end of your next turn.
Expert Exploit
Choose one skill or two tools in which you are proficient. You gain expertise in the chosen skill or tools.
Fighter's Exploit
You are practiced with a particular style of fighting. Choose one of the fighting practice options, detailed in Chapter 6.
Focused Exploit
Your number of focus points increases to your full operative level, instead of half, + your focus ability modifier.
Initiative Exploit
You have advantage on initiative checks. When you would make an initiative check, you can choose to forgo this advantage. If you do so, you cannot be surprised, and you can move up to your speed after you roll initiative, but before the initiative order is determined.
Mentor's Exploit
Whenever both you and an ally within 60 feet that can see and hear you both have to make a saving throw to resist the same effect, you can choose to have disadvantage on the save as long as you don’t already have disadvantage. If you do so, the ally gains advantage on the save.
Mobile Exploit
Your speed increases by 10 feet.
Precise Exploit
You learn two additional precision strikes from the following:
- Hinder. You attempt to distract your target in order to hinder their movement. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it gains 1 slowed level until the end of its next turn and it makes the first Dexterity saving throw before the end of its next turn with disadvantage.
- Pilfer. You attempt to pick your target's pockets. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, you have advantage on the first Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check you make against the target before the end of your next turn.
- Penetrating Shot. You attempt to damage another target with the same attack. Choose a second target within 15 feet of and directly behind your initial target. If the original attack roll would hit the second target, it takes two dice worth of Sneak Attack damage of the same type as the original attack.
- Priming Attack, You attempt to prime the target. The target must make a Dexterity, Constitution, or Wisdom saving throw (your choice). On a failed save, the next time you deal Sneak Attack damage against the target before the end of your next turn, you roll four additional Sneak Attack dice.
- Suppressive Shot. You attempt to pin the target to its location. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the end of its next turn.
- Vulnerable Strike. You attempt to stagger the target. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the next time you would make an attack roll against the target before the end of your next turn, you can instead force the target to make a saving throw with the ability score of your choice. On a failed save, the creature takes normal weapon damage, is subjected to any additional effects that would occur on a hit, and you can apply your Sneak Attack damage to the roll.
You can take this exploit more than once.
Proficient Exploit
You gain proficiency in two skills. Alternatively, in place of either skill, you can gain proficiency with any combination of two languages or tools.
Quickcasting Exploit
- Prerequisite: The ability to cast
When you cast a power that has a casting time of 1 action or bonus action, you can spend 1 focus point to decrease that power’s casting time by one step (from action to bonus action or bonus action to reaction) for this casting. At 11th level, you can instead spend 2 focus points to decrease the power’s casting time by two steps (from action to reaction or bonus action to object interaction).
You can affect at-will and 1st-degree powers in this way. At 7th level, you can affect 2nd-degree powers. At 13th level, you can affect 3rd-degree powers. At 17th level, you can affect 4th-degree powers.
Replacer’s Exploit
You learn an exploit that enhances your ability to apply your knowledge to combat situations. Choose two of the attack replacers found in chapter 9. You can use the chosen attack replacers as a bonus action on your turn. You can also spend 1 focus point to instead use your reaction. Starting at 11th level, you can now spend 2 focus points to instead use your object interaction.
You can take this exploit more than once.
At 11th level, if you could already take a chosen attack replacer as a reaction without a focus cost, reducing it to your object interaction only costs 1 focus point, instead of 2.
Sneakcasting Exploit
- Prerequisite: The ability to cast
You can apply your Sneak Attack damage to one creature you hit with a power attack if you have advantage on the attack roll or another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn't incapacitated, and you don't have disadvantage on the attack roll.
Additionally, you can apply your Sneak Attack damage to one creature that fails a saving throw against a power you cast that deals damage if that creature has disadvantage on the saving throw or another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn't incapacitated, and the target doesn’t have advantage on the saving throw.
Versatile Exploit
You can substitute Strength, Constitution, Wisdom, or Charisma (chosen when you take this exploit) for Intelligence as your Versatile Defense and Focus abilities.
