A Familiar Story

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Brantar's Brews v1.2
A series of homebrew add-ons for the World's Greatest Roleplaying Game
Page Number Title
3 School of Invention
5 College of Mourning
6 Way of Tranquility
7 The Djinn Patron
8 The Kraken Patron
9 Path of the Revenant
10 Giant Sorcerer
11 Expanded Familiars

Arcane Tradition: School of Invention (Revised)

Deep underground, an alchemist works at his bench to craft a set of magical armor. In the tallest room of a high tower, a witch breathlessly channels raw magic into sigils in the air, trying desperately to create a new spell. An old man flamboyantly waves his hand to attack the enemy...and turns invisible instead.

Of all wizarding disciplines, the school of Invention stands out as the most audacious of adherents. Such claimants elect to claim to have been responsible for the invention of wizardry itself; finding of new spells for use by the other schools. Other wizards doubt the veracity of these claims, but that has not stopped the school from endlessly continuing their experiments with the arcane.

Most adherents find that experimentation is the best path to discovery, often chaotically mashing together arcane energies to learn more about the intricacies of the Weave. Other wizards see this chaos as a clear sign of instability and may shun such wizards...until that wizard has found a new spell the others want.

Tools of the Inventor:

At 2nd level, you gain proficiency with two tools of your choice.

Arcanomechanical Armor:

Innovation is a dangerous practice, at least as far as members of this school practice it. As a shield against this risk, you have developed a suit of arcane armor.

Starting at 2nd level, you gain proficiency with light armor and gain a suit of arcanomechanical armor. While you are attuned to it and wearing it, it grants you resistance to force damage. The armor is light armor and provides an AC of 12 + your Dexterity modifier. It weighs 8 pounds.

You can create a new suit of it at the end of a long rest by touching a nonmagical suit of studded leather armor, which magically transforms it. Doing so removes the magic from your previous arcanomechanical armor, turning it in to nonmagical studded leather.

Reckless Casting:

Starting at 2nd level, you can attempt to cast a spell you don't have prepared. When you use this ability, you use your action and choose one of the following options:

  • Roll on the Reckless Casting table for cantrips and cast the resulting spell as part of this action.
  • Expend a spell slot and roll twice on the Reckless Casting table for its level, or the 5th-level table if the slot is 6th level or higher. Pick which of the two results you want to use and cast the resulting spell as part of this action.

If the spell you cast isn't a wizard spell, it is nonetheless a wizard spell for you when you cast it with this feature.

d10 Cantrip
1 acid splash
2 chill touch
3 fire bolt
4 light
5 poison spray
6 ray of frost
7 shocking grasp
8 sacred flame
9 thorn whip
10 Roll twice and cast each cantrip, but if you roll another 10 on either die, you cast nothing, wasting your action.
d10 1st-Level Spell
1 burning hands
2 chromatic orb
3 color spray
4 faerie fire
5 false life
6 fog cloud
7 jump
8 magic missile
9 thunderwave
10 Roll twice and cast each spell, but if you roll another 10 on either die, you cast nothing, wasting your action but not the spell slot.
d10 2nd-Level Spell
1 blur
2 darkness
3 enlarge/reduce
4 gust of wind
5 invisibility
6 levitate
7 Melf's acid arrow
8 scorching ray
9 shatter
10 Roll twice and cast each spell, but if you roll another 10 on either die, you cast nothing, wasting your action but not the spell slot.
d10 3rd-Level Spell
1 blink
2 fear
3 feign death
4 fireball
5 fly
6 gaseous form
7 lightning bolt
8 sleet storm
9 stinking cloud
10 Roll twice and cast each spell, but if you roll another 10 on either die, you cast nothing, wasting your action but not the spell slot.
d10 4th-Level Spell
1 blight
2 confusion
3 Evard's black tentacles
4 fire shield
5 greater invisibility
6 ice storm
7 phantasmal killer
8 stoneskin
9 wall of fire
10 Roll twice and cast each spell, but if you roll another 10 on either die, you cast nothing, wasting your action but not the spell slot.
d10 5th-Level Spell
1 cloudkill
2 cone of cold
3 destructive wave
4 flame strike
5 hold monster
6 insect plague
7 mass cure wounds
8 wall of force
9 wall of stone
10 Roll twice and cast each spell, but if you roll another 10 on either die, you cast nothing, wasting your action but not the spell slot.

Alchemical Casting:

At 6th level, you learn to channel magic through your arcanomechanical armor to augment spells in a variety of ways. When you cast a spell while wearing that armor, you can expend one additional spell slot of 1st or 2nd level to alter the spell. The effect depends on the spell slot you expend.

  • A 1st-level slot allows you to manipulate the spell's energy. When you cast a spell that deals acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage, you can substitute that damage type for another one from that list.
  • A 2nd-level slot increases the spell's raw force. If you roll damage for the spell when you cast it, increase that damage by 3d8 force damage against one of the spell's targets (your choice) this turn.

Prodigious Inspiration:

At 10th level, you have attained a greater mastery of spell preparation. As a bonus action, you can replace one spell you have prepared with another spell from your spellbook. You can't use this ability again until you finish a short or long rest.

Controlled Chaos:

At 14th level, your ability to improvise magic grows stronger. Whenever you initially roll on a Reckless Casting table for a spell other than a cantrip, you can roll on the table three times and choose one of the options, instead of twice.

Bardic College: College of Mourning

A funerary procession moves forward through the Ivory City, elves in white robes singing as it continues on. A dwarvish dirge singer recites his songs before an open grave. A human soldier plays a lute over an empty battlefield, blessing the fallen on their journey to the land of the dead.

The College of Mourning is home to bards that sing songs specifically to honor the dead. Depending on the culture such a bard may sing songs melancholically to express sorrow over the death of a friend, or jovially to remember the life of the dead. Tutoring often under priests and tenders of cemeteries, these bards learn to channel their song into powerful displays of emotion to repose the souls of the dead.

Bonus Cantrips:

When you select this College at 3rd level, you learn the spare the dying and thaumaturgy cantrips. These count as Bard cantrips for you and do not count against your number of cantrips known.

Grave Warden:

At 3rd level, you learn how to weave magic into your song to remind others of their deceased loved ones. As a bonus action, you can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration die to force a number of creatures of your choice within 60 ft of you equal to your charisma modifier (minimum 1) to make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC, or be frightened of you. This condition lasts for one minute, until the target(s) succeed(s) on an additional Wisdom saving throw at the end of each of their turns, or until the target(s) take damage. Undead have disadvantage on this saving throw.

Mantle of the Grave:

At 6th level, you gain the ability to weave your song into the bodies of those you lay to rest. As an action, you play a song on your instrument to conjure spirits of the dead. A number of Shadows equal to half your charisma modifier (minimum 1), rounded down, appear within 10 ft of you and obey your commands (no action needed). These specters remain for 10 minutes or until you lose concentration (as though concentrating on a spell).

At 10th level the number of shadows summoned instead is equal to your charisma modifier.

Once you use this feature you cannot use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

Dance of Death:

At 14th level, you learn to channel the power of death into yourself. As a bonus action, you can magically alter your appearance to that of a figure of death, wielding a spectral weapon of your choice; for one minute. While in this form you may make a melee spell attack with the weapon; regardless of its form it has a reach of 10 ft and deals 3d10+your charisma modifier slashing damage, which counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance. This weapon does an additional 2d6 radiant damage to undead. Creatures killed by you while in this form are under the effects of the gentle repose spell.

Once you use this feature you cannot do so again until you complete a long rest.

Monastic Tradition: Way of Tranquility (Rework)

A lone Gith atop a mountain meditates as warm light surrounds him. A half-elf in robes, bearing no weapons, stands between two warring armies, trying desperately to broker peace. A halfling in nurses' robes stands in her ward, tending desperately to sick patients...golden light from her hands flowing into the sick and injured.

Path of Tranquility:

When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can become an island of calm in even the most chaotic of situations. With this feature, you can cast the sanctuary spell on yourself, no material component required, and it lasts up to 8 hours. Its saving throw DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier. A creature that succeeds on the save is immune to this effect for 1 hour.

Once you cast the spell in this way, you can't do so again until you complete a long rest.

Healer's Hands:

Also at 3rd level, your mystical touch can heal wounds. As an action on your turn you can extract this energy to touch one creature of your choice, and expend a number of ki points. The creature regains 1d6 hit points per ki point spent.

This feature has no effect on undead or constructs.

Emissary of Peace:

At 6th level, you gain proficiency in your choice of the Performance or Persuasion skill, if you are not already. In addition you add your wisdom modifier to any check involving the chosen skill made to broker peace between two groups.

Douse the Flames of War:

At 11th level, you gain the ability to temporarily extinguish a creature's violent impulses. As an action, you can expend 4 ki points and touch a creature, and it must make a Wisdom saving throw with a DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier. The target automatically succeeds if it's missing any of its hit points. If the target fails the save, it can't attack for 1 minute. During that time, it also can't cast spells that deal damage or that force someone to make a saving throw.

This effect ends if the target is attacked, takes damage, or is forced to make a saving throw or if the target witnesses any of those things happening to its allies.

Anger of a Gentle Soul:

At 17th level, you gain the ability to visit vengeance on someone who fells others. If you see a creature reduce another creature to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction to grant yourself a bonus to all damage rolls against the aggressor until the end of your next turn. This bonus is equal to your wisdom modifier.

Otherworldly Patron: The Djinn

A genasi in purple robes sits amidst a crowd, holding her book aloft with a gleaming lamp protruding from her handbag. A dwarf stands alone in a dark alley, eyes on the horizon as the whirlwind he created picks up an entire crew and drops them into the sea's maw. A tiefling flies through the air towards her allies, hovering above them with her spectral lower half a swirl like the sandstorm...

Your pact is one with a Djinn, a rare elemental from the Plane of Air. Djinn are the type of genie most likely to interact with mortals. Perhaps your pact is one of service in return for wishes, or perhaps you wished for magical power that the Djinn could grant.

Expanded Spell List:

The Djinn lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.

Level Spell
1st catapult, detect evil and good
2nd enlarge/reduce, rope trick
3rd blink, create food and water
4th storm sphere, private sanctum
5th conjure elemental, creation

Djinni's Magic

Starting at first level, you learn to channel your patron’s power over air. You learn the shocking grasp cantrip, which counts as a warlock cantrip for you but does not count against your number of cantrips known. You also are able to read, speak, and write in Auran.

In addition, thanks to your patron's own airy form, you have advantage on any check made to resist the Restrained condition.

Lamp's Protection

At 6th level, you gain the protection of a lamp, similar to those used to bind your patron. As a reaction when you take damage, you can shrink down into this lamp. While within it, you are resistant to all forms of damage and gain 5 temporary hitpoints per warlock level. This form, and the hitpoints, disappear when you attack or cast a spell; or at the end of your next turn.

Once you have used this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

Genie's Glide:

At 10th level, you learn to permanently alter your physical form to be similar to your patron. You gain a flying (hover) speed of 30 ft, and resistance to lightning and thunder damage.

Whirlwind:

At 14th level, you learn to properly harness the winds as your patron does. As an action, you can summon a 5 ft radius, 30 ft tall whirlwind of fast-moving air on a point you can see within 60 ft of yourself. Any creature except yourself and other creatures you designate must make a Strength saving throw against your warlock save DC or be brought to the height of the whirlwind and Restrained by it. As an action, you may move the whirlwind up to 30 ft, moving any creature restrained by the whirlwind with it.

A creature may use its action to try to break itself or another free of the whirlwind, making a Strength check versus your spell save DC. On a success, the creature is no longer Restrained and moves to the nearest space outside of the whirlwind.

The whirlwind lasts for one minute, or until you lose concentration (as though concentrating on a spell). Once you have used this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

Otherworldly Patron: The Kraken (Revised)

A sailor looks out over the sea, muttering under his breath. An elf clutches a necklace depicting a tentacle as she fights opponents, throwing spells of thunder and lightning at her enemies. A tiefling entangles a group of guards in spectral arms as he runs out of a bar, into the stormy night...

Expanded Spell List:

The Kraken lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.

Level Spell
1st thunderwave, create or destroy water
2nd silence, warding wind
3rd call lightning, tidal wave
4th black tentacles, control water
5th commune with nature, maelstrom

Grasp of the Kraken:

Starting at 1st level, you gain the ability to call forth spectral tentacles that grab at your foes. As an action, pick a point that you can see within 60 ft. of you. A horde of grasping tendrils appears at that point. Creatures of your choice within 10 ft. of that point must make a Strength saving throw against your Warlock spell save DC. Creatures that fail their saving throws are grappled for 1 minute or until they succeed at breaking the grapple as an action on their turn, against your spell save DC.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Inky Escape:

At 6th level, you gain the ability to call upon your patron to escape from your foes. As a reaction when you take damage, you can cast darkness centered on a point within 5 ft. of you. The spell lasts until the end of your next turn, and it has no effect on your vision. Once you use this ability, you cannot use it until you complete a short or long rest.

Scion of the Depths:

Starting at 10th level, your patron accepts you into his inner court of servitors. You gain the ability to breathe water, and a swim speed equal to your normal speed.

The Kraken Unleashed:

At 14th level, you gain the ability to call upon your patron for aid. As an action, you open a portal at a point you can see within 30 ft. of you. Tentacles emerge and slam into your foes. Pick up a number of creatures up to your charisma modifier that you can see within 30 ft. of the portal. Those creatures must make Dexterity saving throws against your Warlock spell save DC. Creatures that fail their saving throws take 10d8 bludgeoning damage and are stunned until the end of their next turn. Creatures that succeed take half the bludgeoning damage and are not stunned.

Once you have used this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Primal Path: Path of the Revenant

Some barbarians hail from places where fighting is brutal and has been ongoing for centuries. Sometimes, these barbarians find themselves drawn to a spirit being from these ancient battlefields, and swear vengeance upon an ancient enemy. When enraged, these barbarians channel the strength of the revenant possessing them, engaging in combat with the prowess of a fallen warrior.

Vengeance Sworn

Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, you gain the ability to mark a single target as the target of your vengeance. When you rage, or as a bonus action while you are raging, you can choose a creature you can see within 60 feet and swear vengeance upon it. Until your rage ends, or until the target dies, your melee weapon attacks deal an additional 1d6 damage to the target, and you have disadvantage on attack rolls made against all other targets.

Enraged Soul

Also at 3rd level, the sheer power of your rage enables your soul to linger even if your body is destroyed. If you die, roll a d6. On a roll of 6, you are subjected to the raise dead spell, without expending any spell slots or requiring any components. This spell takes effect 1d4-1 days after you die, and you reform in a location of your choice within 5 miles of where you died.

At 10th level this feature is triggered on a roll of 4 or higher.

Gaze of Fear

At 6th level, you gain the power of the revenant's Wrathful Gaze. As an action, you may channel this gaze at a creature of your choice within 30 ft of you. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the target is Paralyzed until the end of your next turn, and if Frightened of you for the next minute. The DC for this saving throw is equal to 8+your Constitution modifier+your proficiency bonus.

Vengeful Tracker

Starting at 10th level, you learn to track your enemies much in the same way as a revenant can. As an action, you can gain the effects of the locate creature spell, without expending a spell slot or requiring any components.

Once you have used this feature, you cannot do so again until you have completed a short or long rest.

Undead Vigor

Starting at 14th level, you have learned to also channel the resilience of a revenant. At the start of each of your turns, you regain a number of temporary hitpoints equal to your half of your level. This effect does not occur if you have taken fire or radiant damage since your last turn.

Hollowing

In some settings, revenants slowly lose their humanity more and more as they die and are resurrected. In such settings, your personality may grow more diluted, giving way to a being of pure rage and evil, who will do anything to satisfy that rage. As a variant rule, you may elect to gain flaws following this theme each time you use your "Enraged Soul" class feature successfully. Talk to your DM about whether or not this is right in your setting.

Sorcerous Origin: Giant Sorcerer (Revised)

Jotun Resilience:

The resilience of giants flows through your body. At 1st level, your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 again whenever you gain a level in this class.

Arcana of Immensity:

At 1st level, you discover innate magical abilities within yourself that are based on your giant heritage. Select one of the giant types from the following table. At first level you learn the spell associated with your choice. These spells count as sorcerer spells for you, but do not count against your number of sorcerer spells known.

In addition, you may cast this spell at its lowest level once per long rest without expending a spell slot.

Giant Type: Spell:
Cloud Fog Cloud
Fire Burning Hands
Frost Armor of Agathys
Hill Hunter's Mark
Stone Entangle
Storm Thunderwave

Soul of Lost Ostoria

Starting at 6th level, you gain a benefit whenever you cast one of the spells granted by your Arcana of Immensity Feature.

  • Cloud Giant. Immediately after you cast your Arcana of Immensity spell, you can magically teleport as a bonus action. You teleport to an unoccupied space you can see that is no farther away than a number of feet equal to 10 + your Constitution modifier.
  • Fire Giant. You gain a bonus to the damage rolls of your Arcana of Immensity spell. The bonus equals your Constitution modifier (minimum of +1). Frost Giant. Immediately after you cast your Arcana of Immensity spell, increase its temporary hit points by an amount equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1).
  • Frost Giant. You gain additional temporary hitpoints equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum 1).
  • Hill Giant. Immediately after you cast your Arcana of Immensity spells, you can target up to two creatures within 5 feet of you that you can see. Each target must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC or be pushed a number of feet away from you equal to 5 + your Constitution modifier (minimum of +1). A target can choose to fail this save.
  • Stone Giant. Immediately after you cast your Arcana of Immensity spell, you gain a bonus to AC equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of +1) until the end of your next turn.
  • Storm Giant. Immediately after you cast your Arcana of Immensity spell, up to three creatures of your choice that you can see within 30 feet of you take lightning damage equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1).

Rage of Ostoria:

Starting at 14th level, you gain the ability to channel the souls of your ancestors into your physical form. When you start casting a sorcerer spell on your turn and expend a spell slot, you can increase your size by one category—from Medium to Large, for example.

This increase lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you die or are incapacitated. Until it ends, you enjoy the following benefits:

  • Your current hit points and your hit point maximum both increase by 1 per sorcerer level.
  • Your reach increases by 5 feet.
  • Your walking speed increases by 10 feet.
  • You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
  • You gain a bonus to the damage rolls of your melee weapon attacks; the bonus equals your Constitution modifier (minimum of +1).

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest. Additionally, if you fail a concentration check while under the effects of this rage, you may choose to end the rage's effects immediately to maintain concentration.

Blessing of the All-Father:

At 18th level, your Constitution score increases by 2, up to a maximum of 22.

In addition, you can now use Rage of Fallen Ostoria twice between rests, but no more than once on a turn. The effects of multiple Rages do not stack.

Expanded Familiars:

The following options are available for warlocks who selected Pact of the Chain:

Lesser Wisp

Tiny Undead, Chaotic Neutral

  • Armor Class 15
  • Hit Points 15 (6d4)
  • Speed 0, fly 30ft (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
1 (-5) 21 (+5) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 9 (-1)
  • Damage Vulnerabilities Radiant
  • Damage Resistances acid, cold, necrotic, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
  • Damage Immunities poison
  • Condition Immunities exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, poisoned, prone, restrained, unconscious
  • Senses Darkvision 60 ft, passive Perception 11
  • Languages Common, Undercommon, Abyssal
  • Challenge 1/2 (100 xp)

Ephemeral: The lesser wisp can't wear or carry anything.

Incorporeal Movement: The lesser wisp can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.

Loyal Summon: While within 30 ft of the caster that summoned it, a lesser wisp can channel the hit points gained from its Vampiric Drain attack to the caster instead.

Variable Illumination: The lesser wisp sheds bright light in a 5- to 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional number of feet equal to the chosen radius. The lesser wisp can alter the radius as a bonus action.

Actions

Shock. Melee Spell Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) lightning damage.

Invisibility. The lesser wisp and its light magically become invisible until it attacks or uses its Vampiric Drain, or until its concentration ends (as if concentrating on a spell).

Vampiric Drain. Melee Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit 7(2d6) necrotic damage, the wisp regains hit points equal to half the necrotic damage dealt.

Shadow Raven

Tiny Celestial, Lawful Neutral

  • Armor Class 14
  • Hit Points 13 (3d8)
  • Speed 5 ft, fly 60 ft
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
2 (-4) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 8 (-1) 13 (+1) 8 (-1)
  • Skills Perception +3
  • Damage Resistances psychic, necrotic, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks not made with silvered weapons
  • Damage Immunities cold
  • Condition Immunities prone, exhaustion
  • Senses Darkvision 120ft, passive Perception 13
  • Languages Common, Elvish
  • Challenge 1 (200 xp)

Magic Resistance. The shadow raven has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. As a familiar, it shares this trait with its summoner while within 10 ft.

Umbral Form. The shadow raven can, as an action, take on a shadowy, ephemeral form. While in this form it is resistant to all but Radiant damage, and attacks made against it have disadvantage. It cannot make attacks while in this form.

Actions

Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) cold damage.

Invisibility. The shadow raven magically turns invisible until it attacks, or until its concentration ends (as if concentrating on a spell). Any equipment the shadow raven wears or carries is invisible with it.

Feats:

Archmage

Prerequisites: The ability to cast at least one spell that deals damage

Skilled with the nuances of casting, you gain the following benefits:

  • Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
  • You gain the ability to modify your spells as they are cast. When you cast a spell that deals a certain type of damage, you can change the type of damage the spell deals. The damage type is changed according to the following table:
Damage Type Damage Type
Acid Poison
Fire Cold
Lightning Thunder
Radiant Necrotic
Psychic Force
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