Character Options; With Spell and Sword

A collection of cantrips and feats to bring more magic to the arcane adventurer's life...

New Arcane Tradition: Battlemage

A rare tradition, battlemages are instructed in the use of arms and armor so that they can engage in close quarters combat while wielding their arcane powers. Sometimes considered a dwarven answer to the Bladesinger, these armed and armored wizards seek out combat and bend their magic to empowering attacks against their foes.

New Arcane Tradition: War Wizard

Trained to be living siege engines and weapons of mass devastation, War Wizards have developed skills to lay waste to vast tracts of a battlefield. Unlike other combat-focused spellcasters, such as bladesingers, battlemages, or even eldritch knights, warlocks, and sorcerers, War Wizards spend no particular time training in close combat. Instead they rely on their spells to devastate their foes from afar. They achieve this through the application of metamagic, twisting the arcane forces at their command to greater potential. While this tool is similar to that used by Sorcerers, its expression by these weavers of devastation is far more formulaic in its development and use.

Full Circle

When I started this blog I made a challenge to myself; post for a year. The goal, of course, was to maintain as long as possible. But a year seemed like a reasonable minimum. A standard by which I could say I had succeeded. As August comes to a close, we come to the end of that year. I'd like to continue, but life marches on.

Over the year I've been doing this other things have developed. Both D&D and Numenera, the systems in which I am most prolific and proficient, have established avenues for people like me to publish work online and earn some return on our effort. More importantly, however, my "real" professional life (which I'm not quite ready to abandon to do this full time) has reached a point where I have to invest more of my free time in going back to school.

The result of that last is that I need to shift my focus. Unfortunately, one of the costs looks to be this blog. While I expect I'll be back from time to time with a particular idea or when I need to let off steam, I also anticipate the avenues provided by the Wizards of the Coast and Monte Cook Games will draw more of my efforts. But, there will always be a few things that don't really fit on those channels; small rewrites of rules in those systems not big enough to stand on their own, or other games like the World of Darkness, Warhammer 40k, and Continuum.

So... this isn't goodbye. Just I'll see you around.

Until things, again, come full circle.

Primordial Patrons; Invocations and Feats (D&D 5e)

Elemental Warlocks

Previous: The Unquenchable Flame

Primordial Patrons; The Unquenchable Flame (D&D 5e)

Elemental Warlocks

Previous: The Unyielding Stone

The most common warlock of flame is a shock troop in the legions of the mightiest of Efrit, though favored scions and servants might be granted power to act as emissaries and agents. The powers of fire are as capricious as those of air and as unforgiving as those of fire. The result are servants left to dance along the edge of a razor on bare feet, knowing one false move will see them spent as fuel for the all-consuming flames. But those who burn half as long shine twice as bright.

Blades are by far the most common pact gift, granted to the warriors of the burning legions. Familiars are less common, many being vulnerable to the hungry fire, though the pact of the chain can grant a Fire Elemental Wisp in addition to its other possibilities. The least common pact is the tome, vulnerable in nearly all its forms to destruction, though a few warlock are granted eternal flames. While these appear to be stones or crystals subject to a continual flame spell, the fire burns perpetually hot and nearly unquenchable.  Often kept in lanterns and other specially constructed containers, those who peer deeply into these mystical repositories can see arcane figures and formulae dancing in their depths. Tantalizing and tempting those who would reach in to turn the page.

Primordial Patrons; The Unyielding Stone (D&D 5e)

Elemental Warlocks

Previous: The Unending Sea

Servants of the primordial powers of earth tend to be solid and stable, as enduring and patient as the masters to which they are bound. While earth gensai, dwarves, and other dwellers beneath the earth are most likely to gain their eye, their attention can be drawn by acts of great stone or metalcraft, patience, or endurance. Among the primordial beings, the powers earth are most likely to directly test those they have claimed, seeking to forge, refine, and temper them to their greatest value.

Of the elemental pacts, those of earth are by far the most likely to receive a pact tome. These may be grimoires with steel covers and pages of tin worked to the consistency of silk. Alternately, they could be stone tablets, usually small plates of slate or crystal. Regardless, they require special skill and tools to carve, and the warlock receives this instruction and equipment with the tome. They gain proficiency with an appropriate set of artisan’s tools (such as a jewler’s kit for grimoire of finely wrought metal or mason’s tools for stone tablets). A few of these tomes monolithic; slabs hewn from the living earth or great pylons of geology. Such “tomes” may require superhuman strength and heavy equipment, to move, if such movement is even possible. If this is the case, the monolithic tome grants you its benefits if you are within a number of feet equal to your level squared. Moreover, at will you may meld with these structures as if you were using the spell meld into stone and may cast the spell Alarm as if it were a ritual while within this area.

Able combatants by virtue of their enhanced endurance, if you receive a pact blade it will almost always be a hammer or weapon with the heavy or two handed qualities. Familiars are generally creatures such as lizards, snakes, rats, spiders, or weasels, though those who benefit from the pact of the chain can instead call upon an Earth Elemental Wisp.

Primordial Patrons; The Unending Sea (D&D 5e)

Elemental Warlocks
Previous: The Unbounded Sky

Of the primordial patrons, the unending sea may be the most welcoming and forgiving, its warlocks are, certainly, the most varied. Most such warlocks come from seafarers or aquatic races, with water gensai having significant representation. The most notable warlocks of the unending sea are those who are malleable, changeable, and adaptable; taking whatever form the situation demands. In peace they are tranquil as still waters and in combat rushing like the raging storm. They can be stoic, with unfathomable depths and hidden undercurrents, or they can be as transparent as a mountain lake.

Familiars are common among waterlocks, though they are found most frequently with those who already live in aquatic or simi-aqatic environments as they generally taking the forms of crabs, frogs (toads), octopus, fish (quippers), sea horses. Meanwhile, those who receive the pact of the chain may gain water elemental wisps.

The most common pact blades for warlocks of the unending sea are those that can be wielded underwater without issue, dagger, javelin, shortsword, spear, and trident, though nets and whips are not uncommon choices. Tomes are generally traditional in form, with covers of mother of pearl or made from shells of giant clams and pages of seaweed or kelp. A few receive great pearls, enchanted to show arcane knowledge to those who peer into the depths of these milky orbs.

Primordial Patrons; The Unbounded Sky (D&D 5e)

Elemental Warlocks

Servants of the primordial powers of air tend to be wild and freewheeling, even flighty. Air gensai and creatures with natural flying abilities are among the most likely to gain the approval and patronage, but such powers are always on the lookout for worthy pieces in their games and weapons against their hated terran foes. While some servants of the air choose to wield lightning and thunder, all feel the call of the free wind and sky.

Warlocks who receive a pact blade often use light or finesse weapons. If they sacrifice a cantrip slot they may, instead, use a ranged weapon. If these weapons use ammunition they provide a limitless supply, while thrown weapons may be recovered from up to 100 feet away as a bonus action once per turn or a reaction. Those with familiars generally choose flying creatures such as bats, hawks, owls, ravens. Those who benefit from the pact of the chain can instead call upon an Air Elemental Wisp. These free-wheeling and fast moving warlocks are rarely given tomes, and the rare ones that are given are often unusual in form, such as a set of streamer-like scrolls or a cape made of ribbon-like pages.

Primordial Patrons; Elemental Warlocks (D&D 5e)

There are a host of creatures from the elemental planes that count themselves among the otherworldly beings served by warlocks. Among the most common sponsors are genies of various types who collect would be warlocks just as willingly as they collect any other type of servant or slave. Their function in these courts range from entertaining servants to shock troops. Other ancient elemental powers are equally willing to lend would-be warlocks arcane might in return for service and servitude. Though, as with all such immortal beings, the plans in which they become enmeshed can be far longer in scope than a warlock might realize.

While all warlock patrons provide power in forms shaped to their own designs and natures, the nature of elemental powers can alter the usual warlock abilities in a number of unexpected ways. For example, servants of these primal powers who summon familiars may give their familiar the elemental type, rather than celestial, fiend, or fae.

• Primordial Patrons; Elemental Warlocks
• The Unbounded Sky
• The Unending Sea
• The Unyielding Stone
• The Unquenchable Flame
• Invocations and Feats

Next: The Unbounded Sky

Benefit: Blinking (Continuum: Roleplaying in the Yet, Narcissist: Crash Free)

Any character with this benefit gains a +2 on rolls for melee level combat.
Further, a character with this benefit may move one of their actions to a different bout stage during level combat. They may move their action either up or down, but may only do so in order to take a dodge against a ranged attack in the new stage. If they do this, they count as having an action before the attacker during that stage for purposes of dodging ranged attacks.

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Alchemists' Toybox- Gunpowder; Class Options (D&D 5e)

Contents
Previous: Feats

Fighter

Add Fighting Style option;

Overload

You gain a +2 to damage you deal with firearms.

Rogue

Add to starting weapon proficiency; heavy and light pistols.

Rogue Archetype; Gunslinger

Tools of the Trade

At 3rd level you gain a light or heavy pistol (your choice). Work with your DM to determine how it came into your possession; for example it could be a family heirloom, a discovery from an exotic location, or the results of your own tinkering and crafting.

Serpentine Smith

At 3rd level you are proficient with alchemist’s supplies. Further, after a short or long rest you can craft a number of cartridges from materials you have and find. After a short rest you can make a number of cartridges equal to your proficiency bonus. After a long rest you can make three times your proficiency bonus. Unused cartridges expire after your next long rest, or 24 hours if that comes first.

Iron Gaze

You are trained in Intimidate. As an action you can force a target to make a Charisma save against a DC of 12 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus. If the target fails this save they are frightened of you for one minute. If they are successful on this save they are immune to your use of this ability for 24 hours. At 13th level success does not make your targets immune to this ability, and at 17th level you can force targets that fail their save to drop anything they are holding and only use the Dash action to move as far from you as possible on each of their turns unless they have nowhere they can move.

Swift Shot

At 13^th level, you can use your bonus action from the Cunning Action rogue ability to draw, fire, and re-sheath a light or heavy pistol. You suffer a -2 to the attack when using this ability with a heavy pistol.

Always Ready

At 17th level you ignore the loading quality on firearms.

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Alchemists' Toybox- Gunpowder; House Rule: Feats (D&D 5e)

Contents
Previous: Siege Equipment

Feats

Alchemists' Toybox- Gunpowder; House Rule: Siege Equipment (D&D 5e)

Contents
Previous: Adventuring Equipment

Siege Equipment

These rules replace the stats for Cannons from pg 255 of the DMG.

Siege Equipment
Name	Cost	Weight
Cannon	50,000 gp	5,000 lbs
Demi-cannon	10,000 gp	3,000 lbs
Culverin	3,000 gp	500 lbs
Bombard	1500 gp	100 lb
Field cannon	5,000 gp	2,000

Alchemists' Toybox- Gunpowder; House Rule: Adventuring Equipment (D&D 5e)

Contents
Previous: Gunpowder Weapons

Adventuring Equipment

Item	Cost	Weight
Ammunition
Bird of flame	5 gp	1 lb
Cartridge (5)	2 gp	1 lb
Cannon ball	special	special
Bomb
Blasting Stick	200 gp	1 lb
Burster	150 gp	1 lb
Flasher	300 gp	2 lb
Smoker	200 gp	3 lb
Grenade	200 gp	1 lb
Incendiary	150 gp	1 lb
Dragonwater	100 gp	1 lb
Fuse (1 round)	1 sp	-
Gunpowder
Keg	250 gp	20 lb
Horn	35 gp	2 lb
Phoenix down	1000 gp	-
Smokestick	5 gp	-
Sunrod	10 gp	1 lb
Tindertwig	1 gp	-

Alchemists' Toybox- Gunpowder; House Rule: Gunpowder Weapons (D&D 5e)

Contents

Previous: Gunpowder and Magic

These rules replace the renaissance firearms (DMG 267-268) and cannons (DMG 255).

Weapons

Name	Cost	Damage	Weight	Properties
Simple Melee Weapons
Bayonet	2 gp	1d4 piercing	1 lb	Finesse, light, special
Simple Ranged Weapons
Fire flower	2 gp	1d6 fire	-	Finesse, light, thrown (30/60), special
Martial Ranged Weapons
Arquebus	400 gp	2d4 piercing	12 lb	Firearm (range 30/120), heavy, loading, two-handed
Blunderbuss	1000 gp	2d6 piercing	18 lb.	Firearm (range 20/90), heavy, loading, two-handed
Flintlock Rifle	750 gp	1d10 piercing	5 lb.	Firearm (range 150/600), loading, two-handed
Heavy Pistol	250 gp	1d10 piercing	3 lb	Firearm (range 30/90), loading
Light Pistol	200 gp	1d8 piercing	2 lb	Firearm (range 20/60), light, loading
Musket	500 gp	1d8 piercing	5 lb	Firearm (range 80/320), loading, two-handed
Firebird launcher	600 gp	1d10 fire	1 lb	Ammunition (range 120/500), loading, two-handed

Firearm. These weapons use ammunition. Generally, this ammunition is in the form of both a cartridge of gunpowder and a sling bullet. Ammunition discharged from firearms cannot be recovered.

Bayonet. A bayonet can be attached to the end of a musket as an action. When this is done you count as wielding both weapons simultaneously. This does not affect the use of the musket, however the bayonet loses the finesse and light traits and adds heavy and reach.

Fire flower. When used a fire flower self-ignites and explodes, so it cannot be recovered.

Firebird launcher.  This metal tube is used to launch birds of flame, which are ignited as part of the attack and explode, so they cannot be recovered.

Next: Adventuring Equipment

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Alchemists' Toybox- Gunpowder; House Rule: Gunpowder and Magic (D&D 5e)

Contents

Any arcane spellcaster who uses a form of gunpowder as a component in a spell or uses a component or focus covered in black powder, intentionally or unintentionally, risks losing control of their magic in a surge of energy. They must succeed on an Intelligence (Arcana) check with a DC of 13 plus the spell’s level or experience a Wild Magic Surge (per the sorcerer Wild Magic ability). If a scroll is strewn with black powder using it forces you to make a Wisdom saving throw or suffer the Wild Magic Surge, in this case results that do not apply result in a Scroll Mishap (DMG 140).

Sprinkling a cartridge worth of gunpowder into a potion, or mixing it with magical dusts or powders, forces a roll on the Potion Miscibility table (DMG 140).

If you have proficiency in the Arcana skill, you can spend a minute and a cartridge worth of gunpowder to detect the presence of magic within 30 feet. Any barrier blocks this effect, but visible creatures or objects that bear magic allow an Intelligence (Arcana) check against DC 13 to determine the school of magic. Doing this does not cause issues with either scrolls or potions.

Next: Gunpowder Weapons

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Alchemists' Toybox- Gunpowder; Contents (D&D 5e)

• Gunpowder and Magic
• Gunpowder Weapons
• Adventuring Equipment
• Siege Equipment
• Feats
• Class Options

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New Magic Items; Honoring the Ancients (D&D 5e)

New Warlock Patron; The Honored Ancients (D&D 5e)

Rather than a pact with otherworldly entities, you are part of an honored legacy. Whether these forbears called you to their service or you sought out their approval and gifts, you have become a direct link between the history of your people and their present. These ancient spirits often have their own inscrutable designs and desires, however. Over generations even the most benevolent may come to see the bloodlines and communities as groups and have less empathy for the struggles and even lives of individuals. Some, however, are less altruistic than believed by their descendants, seeing those they watch over as tools and weapons to be turned to their own purposes.

Expanded Spell List

The Ancestors let you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.

Level	Ancestor
1	Bless, Heroism
2	Augury, Gentle Repose
3	Speak With Dead, Revivify
4	Arcane Eye, Death Ward
5	Legend Lore, Raise Dead

Guiding Spirits

Starting at 1stlevel your ancestors make their will and blessings known to you directly. While their intent is often difficult for you to discern, you do gain the benefits of the cantrip guidance. This does not count towards your number of cantrips known.

Watchful Spirits

As you gain power your ancestral spirits become more interested in your progression and go beyond providing small nudges of aid.

At 6th level as an action you can choose one of your ability scores. As long as you maintain concentration on this connection, up to one hour, you have advantage on checks with that ability score. If you choose Constitution you also gain an additional 2d6 temporary hit points which are lost when this effect ends, Strength doubles your carrying capacity, and Dexterity prevents you from taking damage from falls of 20 feet or less unless you are Incapacitated. You cannot use this ability again until after you take a long rest. At 14th level you regain use of this ability after taking either a short or long rest.

Guardian Spirits

Once you reach 10th level you have become one of those whose names will be honored among your lineage. Your ancestors work openly at your side, helping to protect you until you join them among the honored dead.

You can summon a spectral apparition which hovers in an unoccupied space of your choice that you can see within 30 feet of you. This guardian occupies that space and is indistinct. Any creature hostile to you that moves to a space within 10 feet of the guardian for the first time on a turn or begins their turn within that area must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw. The creature takes 20 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The guardian vanishes when it has dealt a total of 60 damage in a day. If the guardian has not dealt all of its damage for the day you can dismiss or recall it as an action. Once the guardian has dealt 60 points of damage in a day you can only recall it again after you complete a long rest. At 14th level the total daily damage of your guardian spirit increases to 100 points.

Spirit Ascension

At 14th level you have become a legend among your people, and gain the knowledge needed to join the honored dead who watch over and lead them. You are encouraged by your people, both living and dead, to be interred among the great heroes of your line to help watch over and guide your family and their descendants, so you can rise again with these heroes of myth and legend if something truly terrible should threaten them.

As an action, you may cause yourself to enter a cataleptic state that is indistinguishable from death. You appear dead to all outward inspection and to spells used to determine your status. You can’t move (your move speed is 0) or use reactions, and may only take a limited number of actions as described below. You have resistance to all damage except psychic damage. While in this state you also cease aging and disease and poison have no effect until you end your use of this ability.

Even though you cannot move, and your eyes are often closed, while you are in this state you can see and hear, having full awareness of your surroundings as if you could look around. You can also perceive and communicate with the spirits of others in this state which you can see. However, the only actions you can take are to end this effect or attempting to possess a humanoid’s body. You can attempt to possess any humanoid within 100 feet of your body that you can see (creatures warded by a protection from evil and good or magic circle spells can’t be possessed). The target must make a Charisma saving throw against your spellcasting DC, though they may choose to fail this saving throw, such as if this is used on willing descendant attempting to channel your wisdom and advice for the community.

On a failure, your soul moves into the target’s body and the target’s soul becomes trapped within your body. Your original body is incapacitated with a speed of 0. On a success, the target resists your efforts to possess it, and you can’t attempt to possess it again for 24 hours. Once you possess a creature’s body, you control it. Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the creature though you retain your alignment and your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You retain the benefit of your own class features. If the target has any class levels, you can’t use any of its class features.

While possessing a body, you can use your action to return from the host body to your own if it is within 100 feet of you, returning the host creature’s soul to its body. If the host body dies while you’re in it, the creature dies, and you must make a Charisma saving throw against your own spellcasting DC. On a success, you return to your own body if it is within 100 feet of you. Otherwise, you die. If your body is more than 100 feet away from you, or if your body is dead when you attempt to return to it, you die. If another creature’s soul is in your body when it is destroyed, the creature’s soul returns to its body if the body is alive and within 100 feet. Otherwise, that creature dies.

After you end this effect you cannot use it again until you complete a long rest.

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One of the things I love about 5e is the Warlock; it carves out a wholly new and interesting space with the concept of arcane sponsored magic. Not quite clerics of lesser gods bound by literal Faustian bargains. To say that the concept is ripe for development is a grave understatement. In fact, finding inspiration for a new way to make an interesting pact is the easy part. It's more challenging to find new and compelling rules sets to marry to new bargains, making them interesting and unique rather than re-fluffed retreads of existing pacts. Even so, it's an area ripe for development, and if I ignore that field it's only because I've had fields of development in other areas that I've felt are long standing areas of neglect by core developers.

The existence of ancestor worship in the real world has begged to be addressed across several editions. Invariably it has been addressed, in an unsatisfactory manner, with clerics. But! With the advent of warlocks we have a much more appropriate tool. Already designed to represent the avatars of minor power, these demiclerics don't require the same level of rework that their precursors did. Instead, I was able to focus on what would make an ancestor-worshiping spellcaster tick. I've obviously dipped deeply into the wells of divination and even necromancy, as ancestor worship is predicated on the guidence of those ancestors  and the preservation of both their spirits and the lineages they watch over. 

In many ways the power progression is more like the transformative sorcerer than the offensive warlock. But one of the benefits of 5e's subclass system is that you can bend the progression of a pact and not have to entirely rework the class. There is also some irony that this, ultimately but unintentionally, dovetails with the work I've done with non-evil necromancy and at 14th level lets characters turn into a version of a Baelnorn-like being.