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Arcanist

A lightly armoured Hyur maneuvers through the battlefield alongside his carbuncle companion. The carbuncle dashes ahead and lets out a burst of magical energy, dazing their foes and creating an opening for their allies, swaying the battle in their favour. A quiet Miqo'te woman carefully scratches notes into her research tome. After a long times passes, she wipes the sweat from her brow as a shining avian figure bursts forth from another plane, ready to heed her every command.   A carefully launched arrow catches the the Lalafell's ally. Invoking a few words and raising their grimoire to the sky, healing magics close the wound, allowing their friend to fight on.   These skillful magic users take on many roles on the battlefield, be it a commander of their allies, a medic or a destructive force. Through careful planning and preparation an Arcanist becomes an indomitable force to stand against.   Magic Through Research Arcanists work hard to explore the secrets of magic, only through deep understanding of formulas and geometrical figures can they produce magical effects. Their tomes and grimoires are filled with fascinating formulas and diagrams, which when fed magical energy from the arcanist's body burst forth into powerful spells. Ever thirsty for greater knowledge, an Arcanist seeks knowledge and then puts it to the test.   Borrowed Power One thing which sets the Arcanist apart from other spell casters is their usage of summoning companions. Early in their studies an Arcanist learns to summon forth a magical servant. This is the first major task of an Arcanist and helps to sharpen their powers. The companion borrows some of the arcanist's power and in return gives the caster an unwavering ally on the field of battle.   Creating an Arcanist An arcanist's path begins with a few formulas scrawled in a tome and a large amount of time practicing their craft, researching to unlock greater power to have at their disposal. You must consider what was your arcanist's call to action? Perhaps their thirst for knowledge couldn't be satisfied at their desk, or they saw that their abilities could help the world in another way. Perhaps they uncovered some information that they must investigate or acted upon.   Whatever the cause which brought the arcanist out into the world, they do so with their research in hand and companion by their side.   Quick Build You can make a Arcanist quickly by following these suggestions. First make Intelligence your highest ability score, following with Constitution. Second take the Sage background. Third, take the Acid Splash, Mage Hand and Prestidigitation cantrips.
hit dice: 1d6
hit points at 1st level: 6+your Constitution modifier
hit points at higher levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per Arcanist level after 1st
armor proficiencies: None
weapon proficiencies: Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, light crossbows
tools: None
saving throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
skills: Choose two from Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, and Religion.
starting equipment:
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background
(a) quarterstaff or (b) a dagger
(a) a grimoire which acts as your spell casting focus
(a) a scholar's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
spellcasting:
Level requirement and general description. See chapter 10 of the PHB for the general rules of spellcasting and the end of this document for the Arcanist spell list. Cantrips At 1st level, you know 3 cantrips of your choice from the Arcanist spell list. You learn additional Arcanist cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Arcanist table.   Spellbook At 1st level, you have a spellbook containing six 1st-level Arcanist spells of your choice. Your spellbook is the repository of the Arcanist Spells you know, except your Cantrips, which are fixed in your mind.   Your Spellbook The spells that You add to your spellbook as You gain levels reflect the arcane research You conduct on your own, as well as intellectual breakthroughs You have had about the nature of the multiverse. You might find other spells during your adventures. You could discover a spell recorded on a scroll in an evil wizard's chest, for example, or in a dusty tome in an ancient library.   Copying a Spell into the Book. When You find a arcanist spell of 1st level or higher, You can add it to your spellbook if it is of a level for which You have spell slots and if You can spare the time to decipher and copy it. Copying a spell into your spellbook involves reproducing the basic form of the spell, then deciphering the unique system of notation used by the mage who wrote it. You must practice the spell until You understand the sounds or gestures required, then transcribe it into your spellbook using your own notation.   For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components You expend as You experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks You need to record it. Once You have spent this time and money, You can prepare the spell just like your other spells.   Replacing the Book. You can copy a spell from your own spellbook into another book. For example, if You want to make a backup copy of your spellbook. This is just like copying a new spell into your spellbook, but faster and easier, since You understand your own notation and already know how to cast the spell. You need spend only 1 hour and 10 gp for each level of the copied spell. If You lose your spellbook, You can use the same procedure to transcribe the spells that You have prepared into a new spellbook. Filling out the remainder of your spellbook requires You to find new spells to do so, as normal. For this reason, many mages keep backup spellbooks in a safe place.   The Book's Appearance. Your spellbook is a unique compilation of spells, with its own decorative flourishes and margin notes. It might be a plain, functional leather volume that You received as a gift from your master, a finely bound gold-edged tome you found in an ancient library, or even a loose collection of notes scrounged together.   Preparing and Casting Spells The Arcanist table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. You prepare the list of arcanist spells that are available for you to cast.   To do so, choose a number of arcanist spells from your spellbook equal to your Intelligence modifier + your arcanist level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.   For example, if you're a 3rd-level arcanist, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With an lntelligence of 16, your list of prepared spells can include six spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination, chosen from your spellbook. If you prepare the 1st-level spell magic missile, you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot.   Casting the 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 arcanist spells requires time spent studying your spellbook and memorizing the incantations and gestures you must make to cast the spell: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.   Spellcasting Ability Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your Arcanist spells. 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 a Arcanist 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 any Arcanist spell you know as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag.   Spellcasting Focus You can use a magical grimoire, tome or other similar equipment as an arcane focus (found in chapter 5 of the player's handbook) for your Arcanist spells.   Learning Spells of 1st Level and Higher Each time you gain an Arcanist level, you can add two Arcanist Spells of your choice to your Spellbook for free. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots, as shown on the Arcanist table. On your adventures, you might find other spells you can add to your spellbook (see "Your Spellbook").
class features:
Tactics Beginning at the 1st level, you have developed a head for tactics during battle. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (a minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.   You learn your first tactic at 1st level from the following list. You learn additional tactics at the 2nd, 6th, 10th and 14th level. Some tactics may require you be at least a certain level or have taken a specific specialization. When you level up you may exchange one of your known tactics for another.   Advantageous. When rolling initiative, you may expend one use of tactics to increase an ally or your own initiative roll by your proficiency bonus. You may only do so once per initiative roll.   Aetherial Barrier. When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 15ft. of you or your aetherial ally, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll.   Blessing of Nym (Scholar only). When you cast a spell which recovers hit points or is from the Nymian Scholar expanded spell list, you may cast it through your aetherial ally. Your fey acts as the point of origin for the spell and your touch based spells may be cast as though you were standing where your fey is.   Bombarding. (Tactician only). When you take the Attack action or cast a spell, as a bonus action, you may direct one of your companions to strike. When you do so, choose a friendly creature who can see or hear you. That creature can immediately use its reaction to make one weapon attack.   Castle (10th Level Required). As a bonus action, your aetherial ally and a willing creature within 30ft. of it instantaneously switch positions. This does not provoke attacks of opportunity.   Carbuncle Bind (Tactician Only). When your carbuncle lands a melee attack, as part of its action you may empower it. You attempt to bind the target creature to your carbuncle. The target of your carbuncle's attack must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a binding ethereal chain bursts forth from the carbuncle, shackling the target. The creature may not move more than 5ft away from the carbuncle for 1d4 rounds.   Carbuncle Shine (Tactician Only). As a bonus action you cause your carbuncle to shine brightly. All creatures who can see the carbuncle within 10ft. must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is blinded for 1d4 rounds.   Deployment Tactics. (Tactician only). As a bonus action, select two friendly creatures who can see and hear you. They may move up to half their movement speed without provoking attacks of opportunity.   Devotion (Summoner only, 10th Level Required). When a creature within 10ft. of your aetherial ally attacks another creature with a melee attack successfully, as a reaction you may add your Intelligence modifier and proficiency bonus to the damage roll.   Elemental Attunement (Summoner only). As an action, you may grant resistance to fire, cold, lightning, poison or sonic damage to yourself or a creature within 5ft. of you for a number of rounds equal to your Intelligence modifier.   Emergency Tactics (Scholar only, 10th Level Required). When a creature you can see takes damage, as a reaction you may cast a spell which restores hit points to its target.   Excogitation (Scholar only). When you cast a healing spell, you may delay the effect by up to 1 minute. The spell effect activates after the target takes a total amount of damage declared by you when you use this tactic. If the creature reaches 0 hit points or less the healing spell takes effect immediately.   False Fear (Tactician Only, 6th Level Required). When your carbuncle lands an attack, as part of their attack you may empower it further. You attempt to attack their mind. The creature must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC, on a failed save their mind is infested with an illusion causing them to become frightened of the carbuncle until the end of your next turn.   Logsitics Preparation. As a bonus action, all allied creatures within 20ft. of you or your aetherial ally gain 10ft. of movement until the start of your next turn.   Nymian Preparation (Scholar only, 6th Level Required). When you cast a spell which recovers hit points, instead of healing the target, they gain temporary hit points equal to half the amount of hit points that would have been healed. The healing spell must require the caster to roll dice to decide the amount of hit points recovered. If any die results in its maximum value, the creature gains temporary hit points equal to the full amount of hit points healed.   Plan of Attack. As a reaction, you may add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll of an allied creature within 10ft. of you.   Quick Summoning (14th Level Required). As an action, you may summon an aetherial ally as though you just completed a long rest. You may do so once, use of this tactic recovers after a long rest.   Rouse. When your aetherial ally takes its action within 30ft. of you, as part of their action you may empower it further. For a number of rounds equal to your Intelligence modifier, add your Intelligence modifier to the damage rolls and healing effects of your aetherial ally.   Spreading Strike (6th Level Required). When your aetherial ally takes the attack action, as part of their action you may empower them. They may make a second attack on a creature 5ft. from the first target.   Spur (Summoner only). When your Egi takes an action, as part of their action you may empower them. They gain advantage on their attack roll. The additional damage from your proficiency bonus is doubled for this attack.   Switching Step (6th Level Required). As a bonus action, you may switch places with your aetherial ally instantly if they are within 60ft. of you. This does not provoke attacks of opportunity.   Tactical Position (Tactician Only). You may use the help action as a bonus action.   Tri-bind (Summoner Only, 6th Level Required). As an action all creatures within 10ft. of your aetherial ally must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Spell Save DC or become restrained for 1 minute. As an action on their turn an affected creature may make a Strength saving throw to end the effect.   Arcanist Specialization At 2nd level, you choose a specialization to focus on as an Arcanist: Tactician, Summoner or Nymian Scholar, all detailed at the end of the class description. Your archetype choice grants you features at the 2nd, 6th, 10th and 14th level.   Aetherial Ally Beginning at 2nd level you learn to summon an aetherial creature to assist you in battle. The creature is friendly to you and your companions and obeys your commands. Depending on your selected archetype you are able to summon specific creatures. Tacticians are able to summon carbuncles, summoners are able to summon Egis and nymian scholars are able to summon Eos or Selene. Select the relevant stat block when summoning your aetherial ally. These summons use your proficiency bonus (PB) in several places.   Descriptions of your aetherial allies can be found alongside the provided stat blocks at the end of the class description.   In combat, your aetherial ally acts during your turn. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. You can also sacrifice one of your attacks when you take the Attack action to command the beast to take the Attack action. If you are incapacitated, the beast can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.   If your aetherial ally is reduced to 0 hit points, its body dissipates into a fog of magical energy which remains intact for one minute. You can use your action to touch it and expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher. Aetherial ally's body returns to life after 1 minute with all its hit points restored.   You summon your aetherial ally when you complete a long rest. At this time you can summon a different aetherial ally. The new summon appears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you, and you choose its stat block. If you already have an aetherial ally from this feature, it vanishes when the new summon appears. The summon also vanishes if you die.   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.   Grand Design Beginning at 18th level, the maximum number of tactics you may use before a rest increases by 2.   According To Plan Beginning at the 20th level, you recover half of your expended tactics uses when you roll for initiative.
subclass options:
 

Tactician

Most arcanists walk the path of the Tactician, highly intelligent spell casters who assist their allies by organizing their forces and swaying battle with tactical maneuvers. In the tradition of arcanists, the tactician who brings forth a carbuncle, to help dictate the pace of battle.     Field Commander Beginning at the 2nd level, you have opted to take up the blade alongside the book to protect yourself on the battle field. You gain proficiency in light armor, shields, simple and martial weapons. You may use your weapon as a casting focus to satisfy the somantic component. You gain one extra hitpoint when you level up, including reaching the 2nd level.   Additionally, when you select a new tactic according to the Tactics feature, you select two tactics. You regain any expended uses of Tactics when you complete a short or long rest.   Tactical Eye Also beginning at 2nd level, when you use the Help action to aid an ally in attacking a creature, the target of that attack can be within 30 ft. of you, if the target can see or hear you.   Strategic Preparation Beginning at the 6th level, if you spend at least 1 minute observing or interacting with another creature outside combat, you can learn certain information about its capabilities compared to your own.   The DM tells you if the creature is your equal, superior, or inferior in regard to two of the follow characteristics of your choice:   Strength score Dexterity score Constitution score Intelligence score Wisdom score Charisma score Armor Class Current hit points Class levels (if any) At the DM's discretion, you might also realize you know a piece of the creature's history or one of its personality traits, if it has any.   Chain Stratagem Beginning at the 10th level, when an ally is attacking a creature whom is affected by your Help action, their attack lands a critical hit on a die result 19 or 20.   Carbuncle's Sacrifice Beginning at the 14th level, you are able to sacrifice your carbuncle to recall the magic energy which makes up its body and calm your mind. Your carbuncle is unsummoned and you recover half the expended uses of your Tactics feature.  

Summoner

A summoner has directed their studies towards harnessing the powers of elementals from another plane, summoning fragments of their strength as Egis to serve them.   Egi's Boon Beginning at the 2nd level, while you have your Ifrit Egi summoned you know the firebolt cantrip and have resistance against fire damage. While you have your Garuda Egi summoned you know the thunderclap cantrip and have resistance against thunder damage. While you have your Titan Egi summoned you know the magic stone cantrip and have resistance against bludgeoning damage.   Channeled Casting Beginning at the 6th level, when you cast a spell you may cast the spell as if you were standing where your egi is. Spells which use you as their point of origin may instead use your egi as the point of origin. These spells do not cause damage to your egi. You can use this feature three times. You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.   Fester Beginning at the 10th level, when you cast a spell that deals damage and requires a target creature to make a saving throw, if it fails you may deal additional necrotic damage to the target creature equal to #d8, where # is equal to your Intelligence modifier. You can use this feature three times. You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.   Enkindle Beginning at the 14th level, as an action you are able to call on your egi to release the great power hidden within it, unleashing a devastating attack. You must then finish a short or long rest to use Enkindle again. The power is described in the creature description at the end of the class description.  

Nymian Scholar

Some arcanists decide to research the use of their magic in the medical arts. These arcanists come to be known as nymian scholars, specializing in the lost healing magic of Nym. They call on the fey of this lost city, summoning them to assist them on the field of battle.   Expanded Spell List Your specialization as an scholar lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn an arcanist spell. The following spells are added to the arcanist spell list for you.   Expanded Spell List
Spell Level Spell
1st Bless, Sanctuary
2nd Lesser Restoration, Prayer of Healing
3rd Mass Healing Word, Revivify
4th Lustrate, Sacred Soil
5th Greater Restoration, Mass Cure Wounds
  Critical Heal Starting at the 2nd level, your healing spells have the potential to cause a critical heal. When you cast a healing spell and one of the die results in its highest possible result. Roll another die of the same value and add that number to the amount of hit points recovered. A critical heal may only occur once per healing spell.     Nymian Healer Starting at 6th level, your healing spells are more effective. Whenever you use a spell of 1st level or higher to restore hit points to a creature, the creature regains additional hit points equal to your proficiency bonus + the spell's level.   Adloquiem Starting at the 10th level, when you cast a spell of 1st level or higher to restore hit points to a creature, you may expend one us of tactics to empower the heal. Your healing spell creates a protective ward on the creature, granting them temporary hit points equal to the hit points recovered for 10 minutes. If a critical heal occurred, the target gains additional temporary hit points equal to half of the amount of hit points recovered.   Nymian Savior Starting at the 14th level, when you cast a healing spell which will not grant temporary hit points, that creature gains 1d10 temporary hitpoints.
LevelProficiency BonusFeaturesCantrips Known1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th
1st+2Spellcasting, Tactics32--------
2nd+2Arcanist Specialization33--------
3rd+2-342-------
4th+2Ability Score Improvement443-------
5th+3-4432------
6th+3Specialization Feature4433------
7th+3-443331-----
8th+3Ability Score Improvement44332-----
9th+4-443331----
10th+4Specialization Feature543332----
11th+4-5433321---
12th+4Ability Score Improvement5433321---
13th+5-54333211--
14th+5Specialization Feature543331--
15th+5-543332111-
16th+5Ability Score Improvement543332111-
17th+6-5433321111
18th+6Grand Design5433331111
19th+6Ability Score Improvement5433332111
20th+6According to Plan5433332211

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Draker35.

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