Angelic Scribe

An angelic scribe studies angelic seals, which harness the power of celestial messengers through their names, and they shape that power into magical effects. Beyond the seals and wards themselves, you learn esoteric spells to call down the essence of the angelic host.

Wizard or Cleric Specialty

Most angelic scribes take up their craft out of reverence and the desire to protect the righteous, though a few tempt angelic wrath with their lust for a power that’s otherwise beyond their grasp.
How to Start. If you’re a wizard who wants to become an angelic scribe, you make that decision upon reaching 2nd level, when you are also entitled to choose an arcane tradition. If you decide to follow the path of the angelic scribe exclusively, you can forego the selection of an arcane tradition and gain the features of the angelic scribe specialty instead.
You can also pursue the angelic scribe specialty in conjunction with one of the standard arcane traditions. If you choose to do this, you gain the Savant feature of your chosen school in addition to Angelic Savant (described below). Also at 2nd level, you choose whether to gain Seal Scribe (see below) or the 2nd-level feature of your chosen school. Thereafter, at 6th, 10th, and 14th level, you choose between the lowest-level features still available. For instance, a conjurer might select Seal Scribe at 2nd level and Minor Conjuration at 6th level, followed by either Warding Seal or Benign Transposition at 10th level.
For a cleric, the process is much the same, except that it involves making choices between angelic scribe features and the features provided by your domain. These decisions occur at 2nd, 6th, 8th, and 17th level instead of at the levels indicated for wizards.
Paladins, though they can cast angelic spells and gain angelic feats, cannot become angelic scribes.
 

Angelic Savant

Beginning when you take up this specialty at 2nd level, the gold and time you must spend to copy an angelic spell into your spellbook is halved.
 

Seal Scribe

Also at 2nd level, you learn the language Celestial, if you don’t already know it, and you gain the ability to scribe angelic seals.
Seals. You learn two angelic seals of your choice (see below). You can spend 10 minutes scribing an angelic seal you know on paper, canvas, stone tiles, or some other surface or object that can be carried or displayed. Alternatively, you can spend 8 hours using appropriate artisan tools to carve or etch a more permanent seal into harder material. Once you have scribed a seal, you can activate it as an action:

You can have one seal active at a time. The number of active seals you can maintain increases by one at 6th level (two seals), 10th level (three seals), and 14th level (four seals).

A seal’s magic is suppressed while you are concentrating on maintaining a spell or similar effect. A suppressed seal still counts against the number of active seals you can maintain.

As a bonus action, you can deactivate a seal prior to activating another one. A broken or defaced seal deactivates immediately and must be replaced.

You can give an active seal to another creature, enabling it to gain the benefit of the seal while it holds or openly wears the seal, except when it is concentrating on maintaining a spell or similar effect.

You learn one additional angelic seal of your choice at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels. Each time you learn a new seal, you can also replace one seal you know with a different one.

 

Warding Seal

Beginning at 6th level, you can place warding seals to protect areas. This follows the procedure for scribing an angelic seal, but a warding seal must be fashioned on the ground or on a similarly suitable portion of a structure, such as a floor, wall, column, or ceiling. As an action, you can touch the seal to activate it. You must maintain concentration on the effect as if concentrating on a spell.
Once activated, a warding seal creates a spherical “safe space” that extends out to 30 feet around it, large enough to surround a small building or series of rooms of appropriate dimensions (a 22-foot cube, for example, or any space of approximately 11,000 cubic feet). An aberration, fey, fiend, or undead cannot physically cross the boundary, cast spells through it, or project its abilities across the boundary unless it makes a successful Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC. A creature that fails the saving throw can try again on its next turn. A creature that makes a successful save and moves across the boundary into the protected area isn’t affected by the boundary while it remains inside—the boundary impedes only incoming entities and effects, not outgoing ones—but it must contend with the ward again if it leaves the area and tries to reenter.
 

Greater Seal

Starting at 10th level (or 8th level for a cleric), you can use an action to empower one of your active angelic seals or warding seals to greater effect. If you choose an angelic seal, its user typically gains the greater benefit of the seal for 1 minute (unless otherwise noted), replacing the normal benefit during that time. If you choose a warding seal, for the next hour, a creature that fails its saving throw against the ward takes 6d6 radiant damage and automatically fails additional saves against the ward during this time. You can use this ability twice, and you regain expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.
 

Angelic Wrath

At 14th level (or 17th level for a cleric), you add conjure celestial to your spellbook or to your spells known if you don’t already know it. Additionally, you can use a bonus action to infuse your seals with angelic wrath. For 1 minute, you deal an additional 1d8 radiant damage with weapon attacks—and so does anyone within 30 feet of you that is in possession of one of your active seals. You can’t use this ability again until you finish a short or long rest.
 

Angelic Seals

Each angelic seal consists of the name of an angel, written in Celestial on a suitable surface, which resonates with a given seal’s effect.
Amnayeth (Benevolence). You can reroll a failed ability check made to improve another creature’s attitude. Greater: As an action, once during the next minute, you can cause a creature that can hear you to make a successful Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or be charmed for 10 minutes. This seal can’t be used again on a check involving the same creature until you finish a short or long rest.
Barrateth (Fortune). You can add 1 to an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw. The addition is made after rolling the die but before the GM reveals whether it was a success or failure. Greater: After making an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw, you can roll another d20 and choose which result to use. The second roll is made after the initial roll but before the GM reveals whether that roll was a success or failure. This seal can’t be used again until you finish a short or long rest.
Chamule (Judgment). When you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, you can move up to half your speed, provided you end the move no farther away from the creature you hit. Greater: As a reaction when hit by an attack, once during the next minute, you can cause the attacker to take radiant damage equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1) if the attacker is within 60 feet.
Iaothe (Temperance). When making a Wisdom saving throw, you can use your reaction to add your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1) to the roll. The bonus is added after the die is rolled but before the GM reveals whether the saving throw succeeds or fails. Greater: You can’t be charmed or frightened. This seal can’t be used again until you finish a short or long rest.
Jelaal (Recovery). You automatically succeed on your first death saving throw and then regain 1 hit point. Greater: When regaining hit points, you regain an additional number of hit points equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1). This seal can’t be used again until you finish a short or long rest.
Ophanim (Humility). You add half your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1) to your Dexterity (Stealth) checks. You keep this benefit until the start of your next turn or when you take a hostile action (any action that could inflict intentional damage on a creature), whichever comes first. Greater: If you haven’t taken a hostile action this turn, you can use your action to present an aura of humility. A creature that wants to attack you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or choose another target. If there are no other targets it can attack, the creature spends its action doing nothing.
Rikbil (Fortitude). When hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to add 2 to your AC against that attack. You must be able to see the attacker to use this effect. Greater: You gain resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
Simil (Clarity). You add half your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1) to Wisdom (Insight or Perception) checks for 1 minute. Greater: You gain blindsight out to a range of 10 feet.
Vrechiel (Glory). When you reduce an enemy to 0 hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1). Greater: At the start of your turn, once during the next minute, you gain temporary hit points equal to your caster level.
Xapanie (Wrath). Once on your turn, when making a weapon attack, the attack gains +1 to its damage. Greater: Your attacks are magical, and once on your turn, during the next minute, a hit with a weapon attack deals additional radiant damage equal to half your caster level (minimum of 1).