Courser v2.5
Dusk has fallen over your home city once again. The sounds of the terrifying beasts plague the streets, the twisted monsters who were once like yourself now rule the place you once called home. Before sunset, however, you had sought to take a drastic measure. You walked into a dilapidated hospital, lined with stretchers occupied by the sick and weak, searching for something- a cure to an illness, power beyond belief, or simply to sate your bloodlust. Walking up the stairway, you are met by a blind old man in a wheelchair, his eyes covered with gauze from some incident you dare not ask him about. He beckons you to sit at a stretcher, cleaned off miraculously well compared to the others you have seen. He asks for your signature, to seal the contract you had searched for. He makes a strained chuckle as you give back the parchment and begins his treatment, the needle sinking into your flesh with a sharp pain. Your eyes droop, and his chuckle seems to turn demonic... You then remember the tales you heard, for the Blood Ministry is as generous as it is wicked, for the horrible things that occur to those who lose themselves to the blood... You fall unconscious, and as the fear of the mistake settles into your bones, you hear a whisper in your mind; "Prepare yourself, young one, for your dawn won't be coming any time soon..."
Class Features
- Hit Dice: 1d10 per courser level
- Hit Points at 1st level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per courser level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, shields
Weapons: Martial weapons
Tools: Tinker’s tools, one other tool of your choice
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
Skills: Choose Two from Acrobatics, Arcana, Deception, Insight, Nature, Persuasion, Religion, Survival
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a hand crossbow, or (b) a light crossbow
- (a) padded armor, or (b) a shield
- tinker’s tools, 20 bolts, and an
explorer’s pack
Courser
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Flask | Flask Dice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Trick Weapons, Covenant | - | - |
| 2nd | +2 | Courser's Flask | 3 | 1d6 |
| 3rd | +2 | ─ | 3 | 1d6 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 1d6 |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Reaction | 4 | 3d6 |
| 6th | +3 | Covenant Feature | 4 | 3d6 |
| 7th | +3 | Trick Weapon Improvement | 4 | 3d6 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement, Insight | 4 | 3d6 |
| 9th | +4 | Flame Paper | 5 | 5d6 |
| 10th | +4 | Covenant Feature | 5 | 5d6 |
| 11th | +4 | ─ | 5 | 5d6 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 5d6 |
| 13th | +5 | Trick Weapon Upgrade | 6 | 7d6 |
| 14th | +5 | Covenant Feature | 6 | 7d6 |
| 15th | +5 | Bolt Paper | 6 | 7d6 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 6 | 7d6 |
| 17th | +6 | Great One's Insight | 7 | 9d6 |
| 18th | +6 | Trick Weapon Mastery | 7 | 9d6 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 7 | 9d6 |
| 20th | +6 | Courser's Dawn | 8 | 11d6 |
Trick Weapons
Beginning at first level, a courser is given access to their first trick weapons; the Rude Cleaver and the Courser's Axe. These weapons are only usable by a courser, being treated as improvised weaponry by others. A courser is able to transition their Trick Weapon into its Secondary Form or back into its Primary Form with a bonus action.
-
Rude Cleaver.
Primary (2d4 magical slashing w/ Finesse)
Secondary (1d6 magical slashing w/ Finesse, Reach, Two Handed) -
Courser's Axe.
Primary (1d8 magical slashing w/ Two Handed)
Secondary (2d4 magical slashing w/ Two Handed, Powerful Strike)
Powerful Strike - On a critical hit, the target is knocked prone if it is a large or smaller creature.
Covenant
Also at 1st level, you study the runes of a particular covenant or coursers: The Corruption Rune, The Radiance Rune, The Hunter Rune, or The Impurity Rune, each of which are detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 1st level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th.
Courser's Flask
At 2nd level, you obtain a silvered flask, filled with a thick crimson liquid. As a bonus action, you can use a charge of the flask and restore 1d6 + your charisma modifier in health. The flask has a limited amount of charges that it can hold. It holds three charges at level 2. The amount of healing you get from a charge and the amount of charges you have increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Flask and Flask Dice columns of the Courser Table.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th 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. If your DM allows the use of feats, you may instead take a feat.
Extra Reaction
Beginning at 5th level, you gain an extra reaction. This reaction acts as a normal reaction would, however you cannot take multiple reactions in the same turn.
Trick Weapon Upgrade
By 7th level, you have developed the knowledge to improve upon your trick weapons. Your trick weapons gain a +1 to attack rolls and damage rolls.
Mad Man's Knowledge
When you reach 7th level, you understand the chaos of battle more clearly than ever before. You can use the search, dash, or disengage action as a bonus action.
Fire Paper
At 9th level, you stumble upon a new piece of equipment within the workshop. As a reaction, you can apply a fire rubbing to your trick weapon, adding 2d10 + your Charisma Modifier fire damage to your trick weapon damage. This effect lasts until the end of your next turn. You have a number of uses equal to your charisma modifier (a minimum of one) of this fire paper that are regained after a long rest. The damage increases by 1d10 when you reach 14th and 18th level.
Trick Weapon Upgrade
At 13th level, you have developed even more knowledge of your trick weapons and how to improve upon them. Your trick weapons gain an additional +1 to attack rolls and damage rolls, and can be infused with one of the following effects:
- Fast.
Your trick weapon has been modified to respond rapidly to your motions. Instead of a bonus action to transform, you can choose to use your reaction instead. - Bloodied.
Through killing countless enemies, you gain a cruel liking to making your targets suffer. As a bonus action, you can apply an acid to your trick weapon for a turn. If an enemy is hit by your weapon, they take an additional 2d6 acid damage. If you do not hit an enemy by the end of your turn, you take 2d4 acid damage. - Smart.
Your weapon is almost a part of your body, and you control it as if it is an extension of yourself. You gain a +2 to attack rolls with your trick weapon.
Bolt Paper
By 15th level, you stumble across another lost piece of equipment within the workshop. As a reaction, you can now apply either bolt or fire paper to your weapon, and the damage dealt is increased to 4d10 + your Charisma Modifier. Bolt Paper functions the same as Fire Paper, except with lightning damage instead of fire.
Great One's Insight
At 17th level, you gain audience with a Great One, a wave of lost knowledge flooding over your mind from this chance meeting. As an action, you can inflict maddening images upon the weak, either charming a humanoid within 60 ft. of you, or inflicting 10d8 psychic damage upon an enemy that is below half health. You can only use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier per long rest. If you decide to inflict the psychic damage upon an enemy and they survive, you take a quarter of the damage dealt, and are incapacitated until the start of your next turn.
Trick Weapon Mastery
By 18th level, you have grown to master your trick weapon of choice. Your trick weapons gain another +2 to attack rolls and damage rolls, and your previous infusion is now improved as well:
- Faster.
Your trick weapon is now as fast as your thoughts on the battlefield. You can use half of your movement speed to transform your trick weapon and can attack with it as a bonus action. - Bloodier.
You have grown used to the acid that emanates from your weapon when your thirst for blood grows. You are now immune to acid damage, the damage dealt with the acid increases to 6d6 acid damage. - Smarter.
You have grown attached to the feel of your weapon, and it feels as if it has grown attached to you as well. You can no longer be disarmed, and your weapon gains the thrown ability, with a range of 30/60ft. Your weapon automatically returns to you after being thrown.
Courser's Dawn
At 20th level, you are free from the nightmare at last. You gain an additional use of your Courser's Flask, as well as an upgrade to the amount healed from it. Also, the next time you die, you can choose to instead reawaken within your workshop, returning to your party at least an hour after your death. If you choose to use this ability, you cannot use it again, and cannot be returned to life any other way.
Covenants
Once a courser has better linked themselves with the Courser's Workshop, they can choose to memorize one of the workshop's four Covenant Runes. Each rune grants a different set of features, trick weapons, and abilities that the courser can use.
The Corruption Rune
The Rune of Corruption binds the courser to the Red Queen, a blood heretic turned deity. A courser who binds themselves to the Rune of Corruption often is masochistic, or at the least blood drunk.
Bloodsilver
When you acquire this covenant at 1st level, you gain a resource called bloodsilver from a locked drawer within the Courser's Workshop. Bloodtinge weapons use bloodsilver as its ammunition, rejecting anything else. You have a number of bloodsilver equal to twice your Charisma modifier, with a minimum of 2, regaining them after a short rest.
Bloodtinge
At 1st level, you find a strange mechanical device within the workshop. Once you select this covenant, you are able to choose from two rifles within the workshop:
-
Bloodied Rifle.
Primary (1d6 piercing w/ Range 30/60 ft. w/ Visceral Parry)
Visceral Parry - If a creature who attempted to attack you misses, you can use a reaction to retaliate with your firearm. -
Courser's Blunderbuss.
Primary (1d4 piercing w/ Range 10 ft. Cone w/ Charged Blast)
Charged Blast - You can use an additional charge of bloodsilver to force a Strength Saving Throw upon those who are caught within the attack of the firearm. The DC for this saving throw is equal to 8 + your proficiency + your strength modifier. If a creature fails, they are knocked back 5 ft. away from you and are knocked prone. The creature automatically succeeds if they are a Huge creature or larger.
Bone Dust Bullets
When you reach 6th level, you develop a technique to increase the umph of your bloodsilver. As a reaction, you can apply Bone Dust to the bullets in your reserve, increasing all damage done with the Bloodtinge weapon by +2.
Blood Debt
By 10th level, you feel the bloodsilver calling to your life essence itself. As an action, you can regain a number of bloodsilver charges up to your charisma modifier. For each charge you regain, you take 1d4 damage.
Boon of the Red Queen
At 14th level, a powerful boon is found within the workshop. You can now choose to take with you a more powerful Bloodtinge weapon; The Everlust.
- The Everlust.
Primary (1d10 piercing w/ Range 60/120 ft. w/ Bloodpowder Shots)
Bloodpowder Shots - When reloading the Everlust, you can increase the amount of damage the next shot deals by drawing your energy from yourself. For every 1d6 damage you sacrifice to the firearm, you increase the amount of damage done on the next shot by 1d6 necrotic damage, to a maximum of 5d6 necrotic damage.
The Impurity Rune
The Rune of Impurity is for those that seek to purge this world of the heretic and the unclean. A courser who binds themselves to the Rune of Impurity seems elegant, well mannered and humble, but often behind that facade is cruel and sadistic. Often, these coursers take an oath to the mysterious organization known as The League, an overarching alliance that claims to cleanse the realm of the filth and vermin that plague it.
Additional Trick Weapons
Those that take this covenant at 1st level are given access to two additional trick weapons.
-
Cane Whip.
Primary (1d10 slashing w/ Finesse)
Secondary (2d4 slashing w/ Finesse w/ Reach) -
Fulgur.
Primary (1d8 bludgeoning)
Secondary (1d8 lightning w/ Arcing)
Arcing - 1d6 Lightning Damage to last enemy hit before transforming into Secondary Form if within 10 ft. of user. Increased by 1d6 at 5th, 11th, 14th and 17th level. A weapon with Arcing cannot benefit from Flame Paper.
Honorbound
By 1st level, you embody the spirit of honor and style when fighting. As a bonus action, you can declare a hostile creature as Vermin, binding its attention to you. The target has disadvantage on attacks against your allies, but advantage on attacks against you. This effect lasts for an hour, or until the affected creature no longer is hostile towards you. When a creature that is marked as Vermin is slain, you regain hit points equal to your courser level + your charisma modifier.
Vermin Crusher
At 6th level, you start to see the Vermin in man more clearly. When talking to a humanoid for 1 minute, you learn the humanoid's alignment. You also have advantage on perception checks to determine the location of those marked as Vermin as well as advantage on attacks against them.
Steeleblood Tonic
When you reach 6th level, the strange liquid inside of your flask grows sweet in taste. When you choose your flask after a long rest, you choose the Steeleblood Tonic. add your charisma modifier to your AC. This effect lasts for the rest of the round. You may use this feature an amount equal to your charisma modifier + your courser level. You regain these uses after a short rest.
Gloryseeker
By 10th level, the death of Vermin empowers you. When you slay a target declared as Vermin, you can use your reaction to declare another enemy as Vermin. You now receive double your courser level + charisma modifier in health when a creature you marked as Vermin is slain by your hand.
Boon of the League
At 14th level, a boon is found within the workshop. You can now choose to take with you a trick weapon fit for killing Vermin; The Whirligig Saw.
- The Whirligig Saw
Primary (1d12 slashing)
Secondary (1d10 bludgeoning w/ Vermin Slayer w/ Two Handed)
Vermin Slayer - If target is marked as Vermin by attacker, deals an extra 2d6 slashing damage. If target drops to 0 hit points from this attack, user can make a reaction to attack another target within 5 ft. of them.
The Radiance Rune
Those that commit themselves to the Rune of Radiance live by an oath, an oath that binds them to Purity, self sacrifice, and eventual martyrdom for their cause. The coursers who memorize the Rune of Radiance follow the teachings of The King of Crows, a legendary courser of centuries past, said to have purified the lands from chaos and pain.
Additional Trick Weapons
Those that take this covenant at 1st level are given access to two additional trick weapons.
-
Wheel of Crows.
Primary (1d8 bludgeoning w/ Two Handed)
Secondary (2d6 bludgeoning w/ Two Handed w/ Crow's Cry)
Crow's Cry - As a reaction, you can inflict 1d6 poison damage to yourself and grant 1d6 healing to two creatures that you can see. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your courser level + your charisma modifier (with a minimum of one) every long rest. -
Saint's Greatblade.
Primary (1d8 slashing w/ Versatile (1d10 slashing))
Secondary (1d8 slashing, 1d4 radiant w/ Two Handed w/ Moonlight Guidance)
Moonlight Guidance - You can use a reaction to gain a +2 to hit against a bloodied creature (below half health).
Purify Soul
At 1st level, you can purge a soul of lies and corruption. As an action, you can use this feature to Purify a creature in one of three ways;
- Flames of Purity. Deal 2d6 radiant damage to up to 3 creatures within 30ft of the caster. The damage increases by 1d6 at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.
- Purify Thoughts. Cast calm emotions on a single creature within 120 feet. The DC is 8 + your charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus.
- Radiant Charm. Choose one creature within 30 ft. of you to make a charisma saving throw. On a failure, they are charmed by you for an hour. If you attempt to harm the creature or one of its allies, they are no longer charmed, and immediately become hostile towards you. The amount of creatures you can attempt to charm with this ability is increased by 1 at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.
You can use this feature an amount of times equal to your charisma modifier (with a minimum of once) per short rest.
Mark of Martydom
By 6th level, you have realized the strength that your sacrifices give to others. Whenever you take damage, as a reaction you can choose to expel a burst of radiant light, dealing 1d8 radiant damage to all hostile creatures within 10 ft. of you and 1d8 healing to all allies within 10ft of you. If a creature that is effected by the radiant light is undead, they receive no healing if they are an ally, or 2d8 radiant damage if they are an enemy instead. You can use this feature twice per short rest.
Blessing of Light
When you reach 10th level, your drive to purge the world of corruption has seeped into your deft strikes. As a reaction, you can now apply radiant light to your weapon, which deals 1d10 radiant damage to the target if the attack hits.
Boon of the Crow King
At 14th level, a boon is found within the workshop, a greatsword made of pure radiance, fit for those that devote themselves to the cause. The name of this mythical blade; Eye of the Eclipse.
- Eye of the Eclipse.
Primary (2d6 slashing w/ Two Handed)
Secondary (1d6 radiant w/ Two Handed w/ Moonlight Bolts)
Moonlight Bolts - You can make a ranged spell attack as an bonus action against a target within 15 ft. of you, dealing 2d6 radiant damage on a successful hit.
The Hunter's Rune
Although most coursers are created through blood ministry, some coursers are given access to the Courser's Workshop through other means. Those who manage to become coursers in other, more devious, ways then blood ministry are often those who commit to the Hunter's Rune. The Hunter's rune emphasizes freedom and outward thinking, unfortunately making it the most dangerous rune to commit to, for there is a lack of patronage through this path, you are truly left alone in this world of chaos and madness.
Additional Trick Weapons
Those that take this covenant at 1st level are given access to two additional trick weapons.
-
Blades of Pity.
Primary (1d8 slashing w/ Finesse)
Secondary (1d6 slashing w/ Finesse w/ Dual Wielding w/ Flurry of Strikes)
Flurry of Strikes - If you attempt to hit a target with both blades but miss one attack, you can use a reaction to make another attack against the same target. -
Bowblade.
Primary (1d8 slashing w/ Eagle Eye) Secondary (1d6 piercing w/ Range of 30/120 ft. w/ Eagle Eye)
Eagle Eye - If you hit an enemy with the Primary form of the Bowblade, you gain advantage on the next attack you make against that same target the next time you attack with the Secondary form of the Bowblade.
Relic of a Lost Hunter
At 6th level, you find within the workshop a mysterious artifact of unknown origin. As a bonus action, you can either use this Relic to increase your speed by 20 ft., gain resistance to non-magical bludgeoning, slashing and piercing damage, or increase your AC by 2. This effect lasts for 10 minutes for every courser level you have. You can only use the Relic once per long rest.
The Necessary Evil
By 10th level, you have learned the harsh truth of reality, and can use this truth against your foes in the heat of battle. As a reaction, you can force a success of a saving throw upon yourself. If you choose to do this, you are reduced to 0 hit points, but are able to act normally. If you do not move on your turn, you are knocked unconscious. If you take damage in this state, you are knocked unconscious and receive an automatic death failure. However, your attacks gain a +4 to hit and a +4 to damage, as well as an additional 2d8 necrotic damage. If your health goes over 0 hit points, you are taken out of this state. You can only use this ability once per long rest.
Extra Reaction(2)
When you reach 10th level, you gain an extra reaction. This reaction acts as a normal reaction would, however you cannot take multiple reactions in the same turn.
Boon of the Hunt
At 14th level, a boon is found within the workshop, a broken curved sword of cold, dark steel. The name of this terrible blade- Grimscythe.
- Grimscythe.
Primary (1d10 slashing w/ Two Handed)
Secondary (1d8 necrotic w/ Two Handed w/ Reach w/ Reaper)
Reaper - When you hit a creature with the Grimscythe on your turn, you can use a bonus action to strike them with a shock of dark energy. Both you and the target take 1d8 necrotic damage, and if the creature is Large or smaller, you and the target switch places. If you use this ability on the same creature again, the creature takes an additional 1d8 necrotic damage each time, to a maximum of 5d8 necrotic damage each time you use this ability.