Sebastian Crow's Guide to Drakkenheim
The study of diseases opens doorways to many dangerous scientific discoveries. As experts in both ridding the body of sickness and the mutations of infectious disease, Pathogenists bring their study to the battlefield by using monsters and enemies as test subjects for their infections. Long years spent carefully monitoring the causes and effects of such plagues allows them to be experts at disease mutation, allowing their sickness to spread in a terrifying manner and riddle their foes with debilitating symptoms, crippling their bodies and rattling their minds.
hit dice:
1d8 per level
hit points at 1st level:
8 + your Constitution modifier
hit points at higher levels:
1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per level after 1st
armor proficiencies:
light armor, medium armor
weapon proficiencies:
simple weapons, short swords, hand crossbows
tools:
any tool proficiency, plus another of your choice from the following: poisoner’s kit, herbalism kit, or alchemist’s supplies.
saving throws:
Intelligence, Wisdom
skills:
Choose two skills from Arcana, History, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, and Religion
starting equipment:
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- a light crossbow and 20 bolts, a shortsword, or any simple weapon
- a component pouch or an arcane focus
- a scholar’s pack or a dungeoneer’s pack
- hide armor, any simple weapon, and two daggers
- a healer’s kit
spellcasting:
Your arcane research has given you facility with spells. Refer to the Core Rules for the general rules of spellcasting and the Spells Listing in this book for the apothecary spell list.
Formula Book
You have a book or collection of notes that you study to prepare your apothecary spells, develop your esoteric theories, and record your occult practices. You may use your formula book as an arcane focus for your apothecary spells. You may describe this book any way you like. Some examples of your book’s appearance include:
h A large leatherbound tome with yellowing pages bound shut
with an iron lock
- A scattered assortment of scribbled notes loosely held together by rope
- A pristine journal with perfect edges and beautiful penmanship
- A leather briefcase with two small golden locks
- A medical bag with surgical symbols on the sides
- A beat-up satchel slung over one shoulder with vials and bottles poking out of every pocket
If the book is destroyed or lost, you can recreate it using inks and paper during a long rest.
Cantrips
You know three cantrips of your choice from the apothecary spell list. You learn additional apothecary cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Apothecary table.
Elementary Reformulation. Whenever you finish a long rest and consult your formula book, you can replace one apothecary cantrip you know with another cantrip from the apothecary spell list.
Preparing and Casting Spells
The Apothecary table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your apothecary spells of 1st through 5th level. The table also shows what the level of those slots is; all of your spell slots are the same level. To cast one of your apothecary spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a spell slot. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a short or long rest. You prepare the list of apothecary spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the apothecary spell list. When you do so, choose a number of apothecary spells equal to your Intelligence modifier + your apothecary level (minimum of one spell). A spell you prepare must be of a level no higher than what’s shown in the Apothecary table’s Slot Level column for your level.
For example, if you are a 5th-level apothecary, you have three 3rd-level spell slots. With an Intelligence of 16, your list of prepared spells can include eight spells of 1st, 2nd, or 3rd level, in any combination. To cast the 1st-level spell cure wounds, you must spend one of those slots, and you cast it as a 3rd-level spell. Casting a spell doesn’t remove it from your list of prepared spells. You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of apothecary spells requires at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
Spellcasting Ability
Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your apothecary spells, since you learn your spells through dedicated study and occult knowledge. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for an apothecary spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Ritual Casting
You can cast an apothecary spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell prepared.
Spellcasting Focus
You can use an arcane focus (see the Adventuring Gear section of the Core Rules) as a spellcasting focus for your apothecary spells.
Pathogenist Spells
1st-level Pathogenist feature
You always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Pathogenist Spells table. These spells count as apothecary spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of apothecary spells you prepare.
Pathogenist Spells
| Apothecary Level | Spell |
|---|
| 1st |
infect, inflict wounds |
| 3rd |
blindness/deafness, biohazard |
| 5th |
pestilence, venomous aura |
| 7th |
blight, blood worm |
| 9th |
contagion, insect plague |
class features:
Plague Proficiency
1st-level Pathogenist feature
You learn the chill touch cantrip. You gain proficiency with the herbalism kit. If you already have this proficiency, you gain proficiency with one other type of artisan’s tools of your choice.
Esoteric Theories
You have discovered esoteric theories, scraps of forbidden lore that you can use to augment your magical abilities.
At 2nd level, you gain two esoteric theories of your choice. Your theory options are detailed at the end of the class description. When you gain certain apothecary levels, you gain additional theories of your choice, as shown in the Theories Known column of the Apothecary table. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the theories you know and replace it with another theory that you could learn at that level.
Pernicious Pathogens
3rd-level Pathogenist feature
Whenever a creature casts a spell or uses a trait or feature that would cure or remove one of your diseases (such as casting lesser restoration to remove your infect spell), the creature must first make an ability check using its spellcasting ability (or its Charisma modifier, if the spell or special ability does not specify a spellcasting ability score). The DC equals your spell save DC. On a failed check, the creature’s spell, trait, or feature fails and has no effect. Any material components used are expended, and any spell slot expended is wasted.
Mutant Strain
3rd-level Pathogenist feature
You can evolve your diseases to cause new symptoms. You learn two mutant strains of your choice, and each time you gain a level in this class, you can replace one mutant strain you know with a different one from this feature. When you reach certain levels in this class, you learn additional mutant strains, as shown in the Mutant Strains Known table.
Mutant Strains Known
| Apothecary Level | Number of Strains |
|---|
| 3rd |
2 |
| 9th |
3 |
| 15th |
4 |
Whenever you cast a spell which inflicts diseases (such as infect or contagion) you can apply an additional effect from your mutant strain to one of the targets of the spell, which lasts for the duration of that spell.
The following mutant strains are available to you when you learn a mutant strain. If a strain has a level requirement, you must be at least that level in this class to learn the strain.
- Dizziness. The target can’t take reactions.
- Fatigue. Each time the target fails a saving throw against your disease, its speed is reduced to five feet until the start of its next turn.
- Coughing Fits. At the start of each of the target’s turns, it must make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, it is unable to speak until the start of its next turn.
- Shivers. The target shakes uncontrollably. At the start of each of the target’s turns, it drops whatever it is holding in its hands.
- Weakness (9th level). The target deals half damage with melee weapon attacks.
- Dry Eyes (9th level). Each time the target fails a saving throw against your disease, it becomes blinded until the start of its next turn.
- Intense Fever (9th level). The target can’t regain hit points.
- Lesions (9th level). The target loses any damage resistances.
- Nausea (15th level). Each time a target fails a saving throw against your disease, it becomes incapacitated until the start of its next turn.
- Dystrophy (15th level). The target becomes vulnerable to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.
Breakthrough Infection
6th-level Pathogenist feature
When you cast a spell using an apothecary spell slot or your Greater Formula feature that causes disease, that spell ignores any creature’s immunity to disease. Such creatures instead make any saving throws against your diseases with advantage.
Outbreak
6th-level Pathogenist feature
When a creature infected by one of your diseases dies, you can use your reaction to spread the disease to a different creature you can see within 30 feet of that creature.
Insidious Incubation
10th-level Pathogenist feature
When you start casting infect, you can modify it so that it doesn’t require concentration. If you do so, the spell’s duration becomes 1 minute for that casting. You must finish a short or long rest before using this feature again.
Greater Formula
At 11th level, you discover a magical secret called a Greater Formula. Choose one 6th-level spell from the apothecary spell list as this formula.
You can cast your Greater Formula once without expending a spell slot. You must finish a long rest before you can do so again.
At higher levels, you gain more apothecary spells of your choice that can be cast in this way: one 7th-level spell at 13th
level, one 8th-level spell at 15th level, and one 9th-level spell at 17th level. You learn an additional 6th level spell at 19th level, and an additional 7th level spell at 20th level.
You regain all uses when you finish a long rest.
Master Reformulation. Whenever you finish a long rest and consult your formula book, you can replace one spell you gained from this feature with another spell of the same level from the Apothecary spell list.
Immunocompromised
14th-level Pathogenist feature
A creature infected with one of your diseases (such as infect or contagion) has disadvantage on saving throws against your apothecary spells.
Rapid Evolution
18th-level Pathogenist feature
Whenever you cast a spell which inflicts diseases, you can apply an two additional effects from your mutant strain to one of the targets of the spell, instead of one.
Miraculous Recovery
At 20th level, you can spend 5 minutes channeling power into a number of creatures (which can include yourself) equal to your Intelligence modifier to facilitate an abnormally fast recovery. You must tend to the creatures during this period, using a healer’s kit with at least one use remaining. The targets regain hit points, spell slots, hit dice, and other abilities as if they completed a long rest. A creature can only benefit from one Miraculous Recovery in a 24-hour period. Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Apothecary Esoteric Theories
Apothecaries develop esoteric theories during their adventures and experiments, representing their own unique synthesis of medical and occult practices. The description of each esoteric theory details the benefits you gain from selecting that theory. Some esoteric theories specify a minimum apothecary level. You can’t learn such an esoteric theory until you are at least that level. Unless an esoteric theory’s description says otherwise, you can’t learn an esoteric theory more than once.
Acquired Tolerance
You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you gain resistance to poison damage. In addition, you automatically succeed on saving throws against your own apothecary spells, and never take damage from your own apothecary spells.
Adrenaline Surge
Prerequisites: 6th-level apothecary
A creature at 0 hit points who regains hit points from a spell you cast using an apothecary spell slot gains resistance to all damage and has advantage on saving throws until the end of its next turn. It gains advantage on the first attack roll it makes on its next turn.
Anatomical Precision
When you make a weapon attack, you can use your Intelligence modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls.
Anesthesiology
Prerequisites: 14th-level apothecary
You can cast hold person without expending a spell slot or requiring material components. You must finish a long rest before you can use this theory on the same creature again.
Bedside Manner
You gain proficiency in the Insight and Persuasion skills. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of these skills.
Caustic Formulae
Prerequisites: 6th-level apothecary
Once per turn when you deal damage to a creature or object with an apothecary spell, you can expend an apothecary spell slot to deal 2d4 extra acid damage to that target, plus another 2d4 per level of the spell slot.
Clinical Conditioning
Prerequisites: 6th-level apothecary
You gain proficiency in Constitution saving throws.
Combat Medic
You gain proficiency with martial weapons and shields.
Corrosive Compound
Prerequisites: 6th-level apothecary
When you deal poison damage with your apothecary spells, you can choose to deal half the spell’s damage as poison damage and half the spell’s damage as acid damage instead.
Cosmetic Surgery
You can spend 8 hours performing an occult surgical procedure upon a willing creature, permanently transforming its appearance. You decide what the creature looks like, including facial features, the sound of its voice, hair length, coloration, and distinguishing characteristics, but none of its game statistics change. You can’t alter the size of a creature, and its basic shape stays the same. The resulting transformation is non-magical, however, a greater restoration spell or similar magic cast upon the creature can restore it to its original appearance.
Critical Condition
Prerequisites: 6th-level apothecary
When a creature rolls a natural 1 on a saving throw made against one of your apothecary spells that deals damage, roll all of the spell’s damage dice twice and add them together. Then add any relevant modifiers as normal to determine the damage that creature takes from the spell.
Diagnosis
You can take the Help action as a bonus action on your turn.
Doctor’s Note
Prerequisites: 6th-level apothecary
You can cast the sending spell at-will. You must finish a long rest before you can use this theory to contact the same creature again.
Double Dose
Prerequisites: 10th-level apothecary
When you cast an apothecary spell using an apothecary spell slot that targets a single creature and restores hit points to that creature, you can target an additional creature within range.
Extracurricular Research
You learn two additional cantrips of your choice from any class’s spell list. These cantrips become apothecary cantrips for you.
Inoculation
You have resistance to necrotic damage, and your hit point maximum can’t be reduced. In addition, you are immune to diseases.
Interdisciplinary Practice
Prerequisites: 14th-level apothecary
When you use your action to cast a spell, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.
Laboratory Assistant
You learn the spell find familiar, and always have this spell prepared. It doesn’t count against the number of apothecary spells you can prepare.
Liability Insurance
Prerequisites: 14th-level apothecary
You can cast contingency once on yourself without material components. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Medical Expertise
You gain proficiency in the Medicine and Nature skills. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of these skills.
Medical Lexicon
You learn six languages of your choice. You can cast detect poison and disease at will.
Nerve Agent
Prerequisites: 14th-level apothecary
When you deal poison damage with your apothecary spells, you can choose to deal psychic damage instead.
Noxious Blood
Prerequisites: 6th-level apothecary
When a creature hits you with a melee attack while within 5 feet of you, it takes poison damage equal to 1d6 + your Constitution modifier.
Pharmacology
When you cast a spell using an apothecary spell slot or your Greater Formula feature which restores hit points to a creature, the creature regains additional hit points equal to your Intelligence modifier.
Physiological Analysis
If you spend at least 1 minute observing or interacting with another creature outside combat, you can learn certain information about its physiology. The Game Master reveals to you two of the following characteristics of your choice:
- Any one ability score
- Armor Class
- Current hit points
- Resistances (if any)
- Immunities (if any)
- Vulnerabilities (if any)
Alternatively, you can spend 1 minute observing a corpse. After 1 minute, you determine the cause of death.
Practical Resuscitation
Prerequisites: 10th-level apothecary
When you cast a spell that has the sole effect of restoring a creature to life (but not undeath), such as raise dead, you don’t need material components to cast the spell if the creature has died within the past hour.
Putrefaction
Your apothecary spells and abilities ignore undead creatures’ resistance or immunity to poison damage and immunity to the poisoned condition.
Rapid Response
When you cast an apothecary spell that restores hit points to a creature, before or after casting the spell, you can move your speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Routine Procedure
Prerequisites: 10th-level apothecary
You can cast lesser restoration at-will without expending a spell slot.
Stolen Secrets
Prerequisites: 10th-level apothecary
You learn one spell from any class’s spell list. It must be of a level for which you have apothecary spell slots or lower. The spell is treated as an apothecary spell for you, and doesn’t count against the number of apothecary spells you know.
Subject Preparation
Prerequisites: 10th-level apothecary
When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, that creature has disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes against an apothecary spell you cast before the end of your next turn.
Surgeon’s Instinct
You have blindsight out to a range of 10 feet.
Surgical Strikes
Prerequisites: 6th-level apothecary
You can attack twice, instead of once, when you take the Attack action on your turn.
Toxicology
Prerequisites: 6th-level apothecary
You add your Intelligence modifier to the damage rolls of spells that deal poison damage.
Triage
You learn the spare the dying cantrip if you don’t know it already. When you cast this cantrip, it has a range of 60 feet.
Unfailing Focus
Prerequisites: 6th-level apothecary
When you fail a Constitution saving throw to maintain concentration on an apothecary spell, you can choose to succeed instead. Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Venomous Instruments
Prerequisites: 10th-level apothecary
When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, the creature takes extra poison damage equal to your Intelligence modifier.
Virulence
When you roll a 1 on a damage die for an apothecary spell that deals poison damage, you can reroll the die. You must use the new result, even if the new roll is a 1.
Vital Signs
When a creature you can see within 30 feet of you fails a saving throw or death saving throw, you can use your reaction to add your Intelligence modifier to the creature’s roll, potentially turning a failure into a success. You must finish a short rest before you can use this theory on the same creature again.
Vivisection
Prerequisites: 6th-level apothecary
Your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a 19 or 20.
subclass options:
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Cantrips Known | Spell Slots | Slot Level | Theories Known |
|---|
| 1 | +2 | Apothecary Magic, Plague Proficiency | 3 | 1 | 1st | – |
| 2 | +2 | Esoteric Theories | 3 | 2 | 1st | 2 |
| 3 | +2 | Mutant Strain | 3 | 2 | 2nd | 2 |
| 4 | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 2 | 2nd | 3 |
| 5 | +3 | - | 4 | 3 | 3rd | 3 |
| 6 | +3 | Breakthrough Infection, Outbreak | 4 | 3 | 3rd | 4 |
| 7 | +3 | - | 4 | 3 | 4th | 4 |
| 8 | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 4th | 5 |
| 9 | +4 | - | 4 | 4 | 5th | 5 |
| 10 | +4 | Insidious Incubation | 5 | 4 | 5th | 6 |
| 11 | +4 | Greater Formula (6th) | 5 | 4 | 5th | 6 |
| 12 | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 4 | 5th | 7 |
| 13 | +5 | Greater Formula (7th) | 5 | 5 | 5th | 7 |
| 14 | +5 | Immunocompromised | 5 | 5 | 5th | 8 |
| 15 | +5 | Greater Formula (8th) | 5 | 5 | 5th | 8 |
| 16 | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 5 | 5th | 9 |
| 17 | +6 | Greater Formula (9th) | 5 | 6 | 5th | 9 |
| 18 | +6 | Rapid Evolution | 5 | 6 | 5th | 10 |
| 19 | +6 | Ability Score Improvement; Additional Greater Formula (6th) | 5 | 6 | 5th | 10 |
| 20 | +6 | Miraculous Recovery, Additional Greater Formula (7th) | 5 | 6 | 5th | 11 |
