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u/NotTheSmooze

Keeper

hit dice: 1d8 per keeper level
hit points at 1st level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
hit points at higher levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per keeper level
armor proficiencies: Light armor, medium armor, shields
weapon proficiencies: Simple weapons, martial weapons
tools: None
saving throws: Constitution, Charisma
skills: Choose two from Animal Handling, Arcana, History, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, and Religion
starting equipment:
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

  • (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons

  • (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) three daggers

  • (a)leather armor or (b) scale mail

  • (a) an explorer's pack or (b) a priest's pack

  • An esoteric implement



Alternatively, you can start with 5d4*10 gp and spend it on items.
spellcasting:
By 2nd level, you've earned the attention of the world around you, and established yourself as a force of change.  

Preparing and Casting Spells

The Keeper table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells. To cast one of your keeper spells of 1st level or higher, 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 keeper spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the keeper spell list. When you do so, choose a number of keeper spells equal to your Charisma modifier + your keeper level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For example, if you are a 5th-level keeper, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With a Charisma of 14, your list of prepared spells can include seven spells of 1st or 2nd-level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell command, 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 keeper spells requires time spent bonding with the spirits surrounding you: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.  

Spellcasting Ability

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your keeper spells, since their power comes from your ability to command the world around you. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a keeper spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.  
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Ritual Casting

You can cast a keeper spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell prepared.  

Spellcasting Focus

You can use an esoteric implement as a spellcasting focus for your keeper spells.
class features:

Bound Companion

You have completed a ritual, binding yourself and a spirit together through a occult compact. You decide your bound companion's statistics using the guide detailed at the end of the class description.   If your bound companion is ever slain, the connection between you is tested. You take necrotic damage equal to twice your character level. This damage can't be reduced or prevented in any way, and reduces your hit point maximum by an amount equal to the damage taken (to a minimum of 1) which lasts until you finish a long rest.   If you finish a long rest while your bound companion is slain, your bond inevitably draws you back together. At the end of the long rest, your companion reforms near to you, having gained the benefits of a long rest, in a manner appropriate to its nature. A fire spirit could be reborn in a bonfire, while a ghost might simply arrive with a cold wind.  

Occultist's Seal

The binding placed upon your companion grounds it in reality, tying it to the material world. This more physical presence grants it a number of benefits.   Your companion obeys your commands as best it can. It takes its turn on your initiative, and you determine its actions, decisions, attitudes, and so on. If you are incapacitated or absent, your companion acts on its own.   Your companion's anchoring in this world is fledgling. As a result, it can't attack until you reach 3rd level in this class.   Your companion has features and game statistics determined in part by your level. Your companion uses your proficiency bonus rather than its own.   Your companion gains no benefit from armour or weapons, whether or not it is physically capable of using them. Your companion has a natural armour class of 12 + your proficiency bonus.   For each keeper level after 1st, your companion gains an additional Hit Die and increases its hit points accordingly. Your companion's Hit Dice are d8s, regardless of its size. When your companion is reduced to 0 hit points, it makes death saving throws as a player character would.   Your companion's level is equal to your keeper level for the purpose of spells and features like polymorph and true polymorph.   Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement feature from this class, your companion's abilities also improve. Your companion can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or it can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, your companion can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature unless its description specifies otherwise.   You decide your companion's alignment and ideal. At your option, you can pick from or roll on the the tables below to determine its traits and flaws. Its bond is always "I must protect my keeper. We are greater together than alone."  
d4 Trait
1 My keeper is mortal, and mortals are frail. It's my job to keep them safe
2 I show affection by making threats.
3 I hoard any valuables I find.
4 My keeper is the only family I've ever known. I trust them absolutely.
 
d4 Flaw
1 Dogs bark while I'm near, and cats never trust me.
2 I'm jealous of anyone too close to my keeper.
3 I loathe to explain what's obvious to a spirit being like myself.
4 Flaw? What flaws?

Gate of Rest

Your companion can retreat to a pocket dimension, a private domain of your creation. As an action, you can temporarily dismiss your companion. It disappears into this domain, where it awaits your call. As an action while it is temporarily dismissed, you can cause your companion to reappear in any unoccupied space within 30 feet of you.   Your companion leaves this domain if you die, and can't return unless you are resurrected.  

Awakened Sight

When you reach 2nd level, your eyes open, ripples of magic and intent now visible to your sight. When you make an Arcana, Investigation, Perception, or Survival check, you can add half your Charisma modifier (rounded up, minimum of 1) to the result.   Starting at 6th level, you instead add your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1).  

Gate of Battle

Starting at 3rd level, your companion has grown in power, further grounding itself, and can now attack.   Choose one or two of the following damage types: acid, bludgeoning, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, piercing, poison, psychic, radiant, slashing, or thunder. When a feature uses your companion's damage type, you use one of those damage types (your choice).   Your companion has two natural weapons, which it is proficient with and can use to make melee weapon attacks. These weapons might take the shape of claws, powerful muscles, conjured weapons, or elemental blasts. Your companion can add its Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier to their attack and damage rolls, and they deal 1d6 of your companion's damage type on a hit. In addition, one of these natural weapons gains a benefit from the options on the Companion Attacks table.  
Attack Benefit
Impact The weapon pushes the target up to 5 feet away from your companion on a hit.
Reach The weapon gains the reach property.
Ranged The weapon can be used to make ranged weapon attacks (range 20/60).

Spirit Covenant

At 3rd level, you define the seal binding you and your companion together, and the gateway you form between the mortal world and the spiritual. Choose the Covenant of the Legion, Covenant of the Vessel, or the Covenant of Unity. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level, and then again 5th, 7th, 11th, and 18th level.  

Covenant Spells

Each covenant has a list of associated spells. You gain access to these spells at the levels specified in the covenant description. Once you gain access to a covenant spell, you always have it prepared. Covenant spells don't count against the number of spells you can prepare each day.   If you gain a covenant spell that doesn't appear on the keeper spell list, the spell is nonetheless a keeper spell for you.  

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.   Alternatively, you can choose a feat of your choice.  

Practitioner's Font

Starting at 6th level, your companion's attacks count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage, and ignore resistance to damage of your companion's damage type. Additionally, during a short rest, you can call on the bond between you and your companion, summoning it even from death. At the end of the short rest, your companion reforms near to you with half its maximum hit points, having gained the benefits of a short rest, and can immediately spend Hit Dice to recover hit points.   Once you call on your companion with this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.  

Gate of Travel

Beginning at 10th level, you can ride the bond between you and your companion like a wave. As a bonus action while your companion is within 120 feet of you, you can teleport to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of it, or teleport it to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you. Alternatively, you can both teleport, swapping places. You don't need to see your companion to teleport using this feature.   You can use this feature twice. You regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest.  

Witch Gate

By 14th level, your companion is a gate to the magical world, and you are the key. You gain one 5th-level spell slot, which you can use to cast your keeper spells.   At higher levels, you gain additional spell slots: one 6th level spell slot at 17th level, and one 7th level spell slot at 20th level. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.  

Retribution

Starting at 15th level, when you or your companion is reduced to 0 hit points, the other can retaliate in fury, demanding aid from nearby spirits. If they do so, the retaliator immediately regains hit points equal to your keeper level + your Charisma modifier, and for 1 minute, the first creature it hits with an attack on each of its turns takes an extra 2d8 damage of your companion's damage type. Once you or your companion uses this feature, it can't be used again until you finish a long rest.  

World Gate

By 20th level, you are a gate to the material world, and your companion is the key. While your companion is alive, you do not age. Additionally, if you die while your companion still lives, the connection between you returns you to the world of the living; if your companion finishes a long rest while you are dead, you can return to life, reforming your body near to your companion, having gained the benefits of a long rest. You can reform your body as a younger version of yourself, if you wish.   If a spell, such as raise dead, has the sole effect of restoring you to life, the caster can cast the spell on your companion as though it were your corpse.  

Creating a Companion

You use the rules presented here when creating your companion.   Your companion is a Small or Medium creature (your choice) with a base walking speed of 30 feet. If mounted, it continues to act independently, not as a controlled mount.   You generate your companion's abilty scores using the following numbers: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, and 8. You assign each of these numbers to an ability score of your choice.   Your companion can be one of many creature types. Select one of the following types: aberration, beast, celestial, construct, dragon, elemental, fey, fiend, giant, monstrosity, ooze, plant, or undead.   Your companion is proficient in Charisma saving throws.   Additionally, choose one ability score other than Charisma. Your companion gains proficiency in saving throws using the chosen ability.   Your companion is proficient in two skills of your choice, and can speak the languages you know.   Finally, select two traits from the list below to give your companion a feeling uniquely its own. Choose carefully. Once created, your companion's features cannot be changed.  

Companion Traits

The following list shows options for your companion's traits.  
Aerial
Your companion has a flying speed equal to its walking speed. Your companion can't use its flying speed while mounted or while grappling another creature until you reach 9th level in this class.  
Amorphous
Your companion can move through small holes, narrow openings, and cracks small as 1-inch wide without squeezing.  
Amphibious
Your companion can breathe air and water, and has a swimming speed equal to its walking speed.  
Blindsense
Your companion has blindsight with a range of 30 feet.  
False Appearance
Choose an object or kind of surface, such as a puddle, loose sand, uneven stone, a plant, or a statue. While your companion remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from that object or surface.  
Keen Senses
Your companion has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks relying on two of the following senses of your choice: hearing, sight, or smell.  
Lurker
Your companion has darkvision with a range of 60 feet. Additionally, your companion can attempt to hide even when it is only lightly obscured by dim light.  
Resistance
Your companion has resistance to one of the following damage types (your choice): acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, poison, psychic, radiant, or thunder.  
Swarm
Your companion can occupy another creature's space and vice versa, and can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny creature.  
Swift
Your companion's base walking speed is 50 feet.  
Teleporter
As an action, your companion can teleport, along with any equipment it is wearing or carrying, to an unoccupied space it can see within 30 feet of itself.  
Towering
Your companion is Large instead of Small or Medium.  
Wall Crawler
Your companion can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
subclass options:

Spirit Covenants

The bond between keeper and companion is a gateway between two worlds, and the powers that flow through that gate are defined by the covenant that opens it. Each covenant is a symbol of a relationship, and like any relationship, it can take many forms. Some keepers see their companions as pets, much like a familiar, while others consider them like family—equals in a mutual partnership. More rarely, a keeper acts as apprentice, their companion acting as master and teacher.   Covenant of the Legion

Keepers of this covenant command such a presence that their will is enough to overwhelm the spirits of the world around them. When these legionnaires walk, the wind is at their back, their way is clear, and their pace is swift as they follow their path to victory, their most loyal companion and follower always by their side. They speak with the voice of a conqueror, and the universe listens.   Hear me! I claim this place and name it mine! Let all who would oppose me speak now, or fall silent forevermore!"  

Covenant Spells

You gain covenant spells at the keeper levels listed.
Keeper LevelSpell
3rdcommand
5thsilence
9thspirit guardians
13thfreedom of movement
14thdominate person
 

Hearthkeeper

When you reach 3rd level, you learn to speak with the spiritual denizens of an area. You can spend 10 minutes entreating or ordering these spirits, burning simple offerings, or otherwise commanding the attention of the world around you.   If you do so, you learn one fact of your choice about any of the following subjects as they relate to the area within 1 mile of you:
  • Frequently visited buildings and places of business
  • Historically significant events
  • Powerful aberrations, celestials, fey, fiends, elementals, or undead
  • Safe sources of food, water, and places to rest
Mortals and spirits experience life in fundamentally different ways. In offering their wisdom, the spirits' advice may be cryptic, spoken like a prophecy, or conveyed through potentially disturbing dreams and visions.   Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.  

Sworn Protector

By 3rd level, your companion is your faithful servant and protector. When a creature your companion can see attacks you, your companion can use its reaction to move up to its speed towards the attacker, imposing disadvantage on the attack roll if it ends this movement within 5 feet of the attacker.  

March of the Legion

Beginning at 5th level, your companion can attack twice, instead of once, whenever it takes the Attack action on its turn.  

Unseen Serfdom

At 7th level, you gain access to the unseen servant spell. You always have it prepared, and it doesn't count against the number of spells you can prepare each day.   Additionally, when you cast unseen servant, you can create a number of additional servants equal to half your keeper level. When you cast unseen servant in this way, each servant has a Strength score equal to the number of unseen servants under your command (maximum Strength score of 12), and you can mentally command any or all of the servants when you use your bonus action to command a servant, issuing the same command to each one.   Once you cast unseen servant in this way, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.  

Oathbound Guardian

Starting at 11th level, your companion is your devoted guardian. When you use your Sworn Servant feature, your companion can make a melee attack against the attacker as part of the same reaction.   Additionally, while your companion is within 5 feet of a hostile creature, that creature has disadvantage on any attack roll targeting you.  

Demesne

By 18th level, you can perform a ritual to claim ownership of a location no larger than 500 feet on a side, such as a section of forest, a manor, a castle, or other area, establishing it as your demesne. To perform the ritual, you must spend at least 24 consecutive hours within the area without resting, falling unconscious, or being reduced to 0 hit points. During the ritual, any creature within 1 mile of you is made aware of your claim and the consequences of the ritual. If you successfully complete the ritual, you claim the area as your demesne.   Within your demesne, you can shape reality to your will. You can use your action to manipulate an area you can see within your demesne no larger than a 20-foot cube, destroying solid structures, raising or depressing land, changing the weather and temperature, manifesting sounds or smells, or altering the material of a structure or surface - such as changing a stone wall to one of wood, ice, or flesh. If you manipulate an area to cause harm, each hostile creature within the area must make a Charisma saving throw against your keeper spell save DC. A creature takes 4d8 damage of a type of your choice on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.   If you claim another demesne, your lose ownership of your former demesne, and any changes you made within are slowly undone over the course of a week. Anything created by this feature vanishes when it leaves your demesne, and any changes made to an object are rapidly undone if it leaves your demesne.  
  Covenant of the Vessel

Every keeper treads a measure in the world of the mystical. Some, however, go further, truly joining with the magical world. Called vessels, these keepers cut away fragments of their self, the bedrock of their identity, and fill the gaps with spirits kin to their companion. These vessels are imbued with wild, electrifying power, but must remain vigilant, or risk losing themselves to the spirits they invite within.   "Hungry spirits, rattlin' around inside you; something wild, to run faster, hit harder... It's enough to make you feel hollow."  

Covenant Spells

You gain covenant spells at the keeper levels listed.
Keeper LevelSpell
3rdexpeditious retreat
5thalter self
9thhaste
13thshadow of moil
14thspirit feast
 

Burning the Candle

At 3rd level, the spirits invited within change you, making you restless, agitated, and just a little inhuman. You cannot sleep, magically or otherwise, and no longer need to, though you can still be knocked unconscious. To gain the benefits of a long rest, you can spend all 8 hours doing light activity, such as pacing and keeping watch.  

Spirit Riding

Starting at 3rd level, your will is steeled, strong enough to withstand assault from within.   While within 60 feet of you, your companion can use its action to beckon spirits of its nature to enter your body, imbuing you with a portion of their strength through a practice called riding. These spirits remain for 10 minutes. Your Spirit Riding ends early if you die or if you dismiss it (no action required). Your companion can't use this feature while you're Spirit Riding.   While Spirit Riding, you gain the following benefits:
  • Whenever you hit a creature with a weapon attack on your turn, you can push the creature up to 5 feet away from you and immediately move up to half your speed to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the target.
  • Immediately after you take damage, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1).
  • You cannot be frightened. If you are frightened when you begin Spirit Riding, the effect is suspended while you are Spirit Riding.
  • You ignore the effects of any levels of exhaustion.
The first time you use this ability, you suffer no adverse effect. Each time you use this feature again before you finish a short or long rest, you suffer one level of exhaustion.  

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.  

Hollowed Heart

By 7th level, your harrowed spirit can consume fragments of the dead. By spending 1 minute within 5 feet of a creature's corpse, you can learn what skill and tool proficiencies the creature possessed, what languages it spoke, and its type.   When you use this feature, you can also choose to harvest fragments of its spirit. If you do so, you gain proficiency in two skills or tools of your choice, chosen from those the creature possessed in life, which remain until you harvest fragments of another creature's spirit. You can replace one or both of these selections with languages the creature spoke. If the creature did not speak a language, you can instead communicate with and be understood by any of its kind.  

Soul Frenzy

Starting at 11th level, the spirits within you scream at the slightest provocation. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack while Spirit Riding, you can roll one of the weapon's damage dice one additional time and add it to the damage of the attack if that creature has damaged you or your companion since the end of your last turn.  

Spirit Vault

Starting at 18th level, your body is animated by the spirits held within. You ignore the effects of the first five levels of exhaustion. In addition, while Spirit Riding, having 0 hit points doesn't knock you prone. You still must make death saving throws, and you suffer the normal effects of taking damage while at 0 hit points.   Additionally, when your Spirit Riding ends, you can open the vault within your soul and release a hurricane of hungry spirits. Each creature within 30 feet of you must make a Constitution saving throw against your keeper spell save DC. A target takes 8d8 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A target killed by this damage is devoured whole. You regain hit points equal to your Charisma modifier for each creature devoured in this way. If your Spirit Riding ended early because you died and the spirits devour a creature, you are returned to life with 1 hit point.   Once you open the vault, you can't open it again until you finish a long rest.  
  Covenant of Unity

The bond between Keeper and companion typically implies a measure of servitude on the companion's part. This is not always the case. For some, the bond is much more intimate, and the line between the two halves is blurred. These merged beings, often called unions or fusions, embody the relationship between each partner, their mind and body shaped by the interplay between their halves.[/n]   "I'm not two people, fighting together. Everything they care about? Their love, their hate? I'm that, and so much more."  

Covenant Spells

You gain covenant spells at the keeper levels listed.
Keeper LevelSpell
3rdbless
5thaid
9thdreamscape
13thaura of life
14thties that bind
 

Unity

At 3rd level, your power over connections grants you the ability to become one with your companion. You can use your action while touching your companion to unify with it, merging into a single creature. Your bodies join together, but you retain your class features and other statistics. Your companion becomes a part of your body; it is incapacitated, has a speed of 0, and cannot be targeted by any attack, spell, or harmful effect.   While unified, you have resistance to all damage, and each time you take damage, your companion takes the same amount of damage. In addition, whenever you make an ability check, you can make the check using your companion's statistics, rather than your own.   For the duration, you gain the benefit of your companion's traits, including its senses and speeds. If your companion has a flying speed, you can't use it while unified until you reach 9th level in this class. If your companion is larger than you, you grow to its size — from Small to Medium, for example.   Additionally, you manifest your companion's natural weapons. You are proficient with them, and you can add your Strength or Dexterity modifier to their attack and damage rolls. When you use the Attack action with these natural weapons on your turn, you can make one attack with them as a bonus action.   Your unification lasts for a number of hours equal to half your keeper level. You and your companion then revert to your separate forms, appearing in the nearest unoccupied spaces within 5 feet of you, unless you expend another use of this feature. It ends early if you or your companion choose to end it (no action required), are reduced to 0 hit points, or die. You can use this feature twice. You regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest. Beginning at 11th level, you can use this feature three times between rests.  

Kindred Spirits

Starting at 3rd level, while you and your companion are on the same plane of existence, you can each communicate with the other telepathically. You don't need to see each other to communicate in this way.  

Equilibrium

Beginning at 5th level, you and your companion can deal an extra 1d6 damage of your companion's damage type to one creature you hit with an attack on each of your turns. While unified, you can deal this extra damage twice on your turn.   When you reach 11th level in this class, this extra damage increases to 2d6 .  

Harmony

At 7th level, you gain the ability to strengthen the connection between yourself and another creature. As an action, you can force a creature you can see within 60 feet of you to make a Wisdom saving throw, which it can choose to fail. If the creature you choose has an Intelligence of 1, it is unaffected.   On a failed save, the target is charmed by you for 1 minute. While charmed, you and the target can communicate telepathically, can sense each other's emotional state, and have advantage on all Wisdom and Charisma checks made to interact with each other. You and the target don't need to share a language to understand each other.   On a successful save, or if you or your allies do anything harmful to the target, you can't use this feature on that creature again until you finish a long rest.   The effect ends early if you or your companions do anything harmful to the target, or if you use the feature again.  

Synthesis

Starting at 11th level, when you or your companion unify, you can expend one spell slot to renew yourselves in your new form. Roll 2d8 , plus 2d8 for each slot level higher than 1st. You restore hit points equal to the total, which you can divide as you choose between you and your companion.  

Fusion

At 18th level, you become a master of bonds. You can use your Unity feature an unlimited number of times.   Additionally, your mastery over connections allows you to truly join with another being. As an action while you aren't unified, you can fuse with a willing creature you touch, becoming a single creature. When you fuse with a creature, you add your hit point maximums and current hit points together, using a shared pool.   While fused, you and the creature retain your class features and proficiencies, in addition to gaining the proficiencies of the other. In combat, you each roll your own initiatives and act on your own turns. You use the higher of your ACs, speeds, ability scores, and sizes, any spell or effect that targets one of you targets both of you, and if either of you succeed on a saving throw, you both succeed.   The fusion lasts for 10 minutes. It ends early if you or the creature dies or chooses to end it (no action required), if the pool of hit points is reduced to 0, or if you unify with your companion. You and the creature then revert to your separate forms, appearing in the nearest unoccupied spaces within 5 feet of you and dividing the remaining hit points in the shared pool between you and the creature as you choose.   Once you fuse with another creature, you can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.  

Created by

MeepOfWar.

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