Thespian by

# Thespian

After ordering his bloodthirsty army to retreat, the gnoll captain returns to his tent and removes the makeshift disguise, chuckling and dropping it next to the real captain bound and gagged on the floor. 
	
When the elderly priest falls to an arrow, crying out in pain as his protection ritual fails, the young half-elf woman beside him focuses her mind and body to uncannily duplicate the old man’s shaky prayers, saving the ritual and miraculously healing him on the spot. 
	
As the bandits roll on the ground in fits of laughter, spilling their ill-gotten gains across the cave floor, a suddenly stone-faced halfling ends her bawdy comic routine, removes her carved caricature smile, and replaces it with the steel likeness of a dragon’s maw.

Thespians use the power of Masks to channel elemental emotions, psionically alter reality, and transform themselves into several different types of combatants.

### Forces Made Flesh
Primordial archetypes—good, evil, fear, love, laughter—are what the very gods are made of, and these essences imbue every aspect of reality. Whether through a divine spark or through collective imagination, certain artifacts called Masks are able to channel this quintessence and grant their bearers new identities as personifications of these powerful concepts.

A Thespian can freely switch between several different roles in combat, depending on the situation. Placing a Mask on one’s face opens up new proficiencies, uies78, and a new way to make an entrance.

### Changing the Face of Reality

Although thespians are well-known for their dramatic flair, their true power runs much deeper than stirring a crowd. To change one’s perception of reality is to change reality itself, and the wearers of Masks specialize in making the impossible possible. When one’s true nature is unknown, one’s true nature can be anything.

\pagebreak

##### The Thespian
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Masks Owned | Spells Known | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
|:---:|:---:|:---|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
| 1st | +2 | Prop Weapons, Copyspell | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Mask Unlock, Fighting Outfit | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2  | Mask Upgrade, Deep Undercover | 1 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 1 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 5th| +3 | Extra Attack, Fake It Till You Make It | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | Mask Unlock, Outfit Unlock | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | Mask Upgrade, Alternate Identity | 2 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | Many Faces | 2 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | Mask Unlock, Outfit Unlock | 3 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | Mask Upgrade, A Mile In Their Shoes | 3 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | Puppeteer | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 14th | +5 | Mask Unlock, Outfit Unlock | 4 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 15th | +5 | Mask Upgrade, Face Stealer | 4 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | +6 | Damage Adaptation, Self-Efficacy | 4 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | Mask Unlock, Outfit Unlock | 5 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20th | +6 | Summoned Troupe | 5 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |

</div>

### Creating a Thespian

Channelling elemental emotions requires perfect attunement with the ebb and flow of spiritual energies, and is not a task undertaken lightly. Even masters of the art must temporarily forget who they once were in order to become something new. When creating a Thespian, consider why your character would sacrifice the identity they were born with. Perhaps they were part of the lowest caste of society, desperate to escape the destiny laid out for them? Perhaps they were an evil cultist who wanted to bury a past life and start anew? Or perhaps they were a vigilante who wanted to eschew attention from both admirers and the law? Also consider how your character feels about the overwhelming energies of each transformation. Do they eagerly embrace the thrill of being swept up in something larger than themselves? Or do they try to hold on to their individuality and control the expression of the Mask? Are they trying to change the world for the better by bringing hopes and dreams to life? Or do they merely want to shatter people’s reliance upon predictability?

\columnbreak

#### Quick Build
You can make a Thespian quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Charisma your highest ability score, followed by Wisdom. Second, choose the Courtier background.

## Class Features
As a thespian, you gain the following class features.

#### Hit Points
**Hit Dice:** 1d8 per thespian level

**Hit Points at 1st Level:** 10 + your Constitution modifier

**Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per thespian level after 1st

#### Proficiencies
**Armor:** Light armor, medium armor

**Weapons:** Simple weapons, martial weapons

**Tools:** Choose one type of artisan's tools or one musical instrument

\pagebreak

#### Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

- *(a)* a morningstar or *(b)* a pike or *(c)* any simple weapon
- *(a)* padded armor or *(b)* scale mail
- *(a)* a diplomat’s pack or *(b)* a priest’s pack
- 2 costumes, a nonmagical mask, and a Disguise Kit

### Prop Weapons

Beginning at 1st level, you know how to disguise instruments of destruction as harmless toys and vice versa.

By spending one minute attuning to a simple weapon, you may conceal it under an illusory cloak that makes it seem like a different crafted object of similar dimensions and value. For example, a quarterstaff might appear to be a wooden pipe and a crossbow might appear to be a dragon hand puppet. A creature may make an Investigation check at DC 15 to perceive the true nature of the weapon.

You may also spend one minute to attune to a prop that resembles a simple weapon--for example, a wooden sword--in order to grant it a semblance of deadliness. Once attuned, you may make attacks with this prop as though it were a real weapon. All damage inflicted to creatures with a prop weapon is psychic type.

### Copyspell

At 1st level, your careful observation of spellcasters has granted you the ability to emulate their gestures and words to duplicate their results.

If you have observed a creature within 60 feet of you cast a spell, on your next turn you may make a Wisdom check. The DC equals 10 + that spell's level. On a success, you may cast that spell as an immediate action without using a spell slot or material components. You cannot copy a spell that is of a higher level than what you can currently cast. (You may copy Cantrips at level 1. Their DC is 10.)

You may use this ability a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). This ability refreshes after a short rest.

### Fighting Style

At level 2, you acquire a Combat Outfit that has had fighting expertise woven right into the fabric. You may only wear one costume at a time, and it replaces any other Fighting Style you may have learned. It takes one minute to don and attune a costume. The effects end when the costume is removed. This magic outfit is not as covert as a plainclothes costume, and a DC 15 Arcana check will reveal its distinct combat enchantment. You gain additional magic outfits at levels 6, 10, 14, and 18.

#### Archery
You gain a +2 bonus to Attack rolls you make with Ranged Weapons.
#### Dueling
When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other Weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to Damage Rolls with that weapon.

\columnbreak

#### Great Weapon Fighting
When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an Attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll. The weapon must have the Two-Handed or Versatile property for you to gain this benefit.
#### Two-Weapon Fighting
When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second Attack.
#### Skirmishing
You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls you make with weapons with the *thrown* property.

Drawing a *thrown* weapon which has either the light or finesse property is a free action, if you use that weapon to make an attack on your turn.

\pagebreak

### Spellcasting

By the time you have reached 2nd level, you have learned how to mimic the methods of many types of magic users. Unlike most spellcasters, who draw their power from a powerful guide or from inherent magic, your uncanny abilities are siponed from the latent Psionic energy from within the minds of the ordinary creatures around you.

#### Spell Slots 
The Thespian 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 short rest.

For example, if you know the 1st level spell *Tasha's Hideous Laughter* and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast *Tasha's Hideous Laughter* using either slot.

### Deep Undercover

At 3rd level, your mastery of performance allows you to adopt minor traits and even bluff advanced magical detection.

You may make a Charisma check to convince a creature that you are a member of their species. You do so with advantage if you are wearing a mask or costume that mimics that species. While disguised as another species, spells will identify you as that type of creature.

You may also choose to associate a particular Alignment with each of your masks. When wearing one of these masks, spells will identify you as that Alignment instead of your natural one.

This effect cosmetically changes your magic’s visual and auditory aspects.

### Extra Attack

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

### Fake It Till You Make It

Beginning at level 5, once per short rest, you may substitute a Charisma or Wisdom check or save for any other check or save.

### Alternate Identity

At level 7, you may manufacture a costume related to an alternate identity. This costume magically alters your appearance when worn, though it does not change your apparent height or weight. The costume comes with one document and one small trinket to help verify your identity’s background.

### Many Faces

Beginning at level 9, you have become so entwined with your favored masks that you are no longer separated by space or by senses.

While you are carrying---but not wearing---at least one Mask, you have advantage on saving throws against being Blinded or Deafened.

\columnbreak

Additionally, you may place any of your Masks up to 1000 feet away in order to scry sights and sounds through them. If you move more than 1000 feet away from a Mask, it teleports to you.

As an action, you may teleport to the location of any Mask you own that is not being worn within 1000 feet. When you teleport in this manner, you automatically don the Mask and begin attuning to it.

### A Mile In Their Shoes

Beginning at level 11, you may make an Insight check to gain understanding about a creature or creature type you are impersonating.

### Quick Change

At level 11, you may swap masks or costumes as an action, rather than taking one minute.

### Puppeteer
By level 13, you have not only learned how to connect to your Mask, but fully become your Mask.

When you place a Mask on a willing or unconscious creature, you may assume complete and precise control of its actions. This effect ends after one hour or until the Mask is removed. Your character's original body falls prone and unconscious, and cannot be controlled in any way until this effect ends.

### Face Stealer

At level 15, you may spend 10 minutes and 25 gold worth of material to make a realistic cast of a recently deceased creature’s face. This death mold magically animates when placed on a living creature’s face and becomes indistinguishable from flesh until removed again. To see through this façade, another creature must roll Insight against the actor’s Perform check.

### Damage Adaptation

Beginning at level 17, you learn to alter physical laws to resist damage through sheer force of will.

You may touch a willing creature to grant it resistance to any damage type for one minute. This ability recharges upon taking a short rest.

### Self-Efficacy

By level 17, you learn how to trick everyone, including yourself, into knowing more than you ought to.

You may gain expertise in any skill for one minute. This talent can only be used once per short rest.

### Summoned Troupe

At level 20, you are no longer a student of dramaturgy, but a master. In the stage of life, you can now play every role at once, and help others to do the same.

You may now attune all of your costumes and masks at once. Each extra mask and costume may be worn by a willing creature, or be animated by a ghostly construct under your control. No creature or apparition may wear more than one mask or one costume at a time. Spell slots relevant to masks are used up no matter who wears them.

\pagebreak

Apparitions have an AC of 10, 50 Hit Points, and a movement of 15 feet. They otherwise share your base stats, spell attack bonus, spell save DC, and spell slots. They may each be conjured with up to two martial weapons of your choice, and 20 rounds of ammunition where applicable. If an apparition drops to 0 hit points, it and its conjured weapons vanish, leaving the mask and/or costume on the ground.

## Thespian Masks

While most adventurers choose one specialization as they mature---whether it be circle, college, or domain---a thespian's  freedom of self allows them to transition between many different Masks as befits the situation.

Each Mask is not a way of life---although some thespians certainly do grow attached to their favorite---but rather an aspect of universal emotion. To bear a Mask is to become at one with the universe's expression of an absolute.

For most, the hardest part of becoming a thespian is the requirement to both fully embrace a new sense of self, and at the next moment to fully abandon it. Many thespians begin to see their true self as yet another mask, while others see it as a personal challenge to maintain their sense of identity. In either case, the particular spiritual fortitude of thespians is quite distinctive to others of their class. Thespians often recognize each other by instinct, even if both parties are deep in character.

Although they do not band together based on which Masks they have chosen---usually, opposites attract---thespians will often enter into temporary group alliances with each other based on mutual self-betterment and an unshakable sense of empathy.

More often, a thespian will travel with a varied group of adventurers in order to study new mannerisms and new faces, and to test their own ability to be all things to all people.

### Mask of Beauty

Donning this Mask transforms you into masquerade seducer who embodies everything subtle and deadly about interpersonal interactions. The Mask of Beauty grants the thespian increased ability to weave in and out of combat while interfering with enemy tactics.

#### Bonus Proficiency
For as long as you are wearing and attuned to this Mask, you gain proficiency in Acrobatics and Persuasion.

#### Partner Step

At level 3, you are able to weave around and between combatants in order to protect yourself. 
As a bonus action, you may choose one Large or smaller creature within 5 feet of you and move to any other space within 5 feet of it.

#### Distraction

At level 7, you may now use your stunning airs to lower an enemy's defenses. Choose one creature. As a bonus action, you may force them to make a Wisdom saving throw against your Spell Save DC. If they fail, you may lower their AC for the next minute by your Proficiency Bonus. Once you have used this skill, you cannot use it again until you have finished a long rest.

#### Intoxication
At level 11, you also learn how to lower a creature’s emotional defenses. After one minute of conversation with a creature, you may force them to make a Charisma saving throw against your Spell Save DC. If they fail, they will be forced to speak their thoughts aloud for the next 2d4 minutes. They will be aware of this effect once it has ended. Once you have used this skill, you cannot use it again until you have finished a long rest.

#### Compelled Movement
At level 15, you  learn how to coerce a creature's body into working against its mind. As a bonus action, you may force a creature to make an Intelligence saving throw against your Spell Save DC. If they fail, you can force them to move 10 feet in any direction. This effect can be repeated each turn on any creature that has not yet passed the saving throw. A creature gains advantage on saves if they take damage on their turn.

### Mask of Dread

This mask gives hardened criminals and careless youths alike a reason to fear the dark. The Mask of Dread limits enemies’ mobility and defense.

#### Bonus Proficiency
For as long as you are wearing and attuned to this Mask, you gain proficiency in Survival and Intimidation.
#### Frightful Presence
At level 3, you learn to gather the evil within you to chill the blood of those within your presence. Any creatures of your choice within 30 feet must make a Wisdom save vs. your spellcasting number or be Frightened for 1 minute. At the beginning of their turn, they may repeat the Wisdom save. Once you have used this ability, you cannot use it again until you have completed a long rest.

#### Nightmarish Pace
As time slows to a crawl, your enemies find themselves unable to run away from their inexorable doom. At level 7, as a bonus action, you may turn a 60-foot radius around yourself into difficult terrain. You may select which creatures are affected by this spell. This effect moves with you, and lasts for one minute. Once you have used this ability, you cannot use it again until you have completed a long rest.

#### Nowhere to Hide
When you reach level 11, your quarry cannot escape from your path of destruction. As a bonus action, you may teleport to within 5 feet of another creature that you can see. Once you have used this skill, you cannot use it again until you have taken a long rest.

#### Immortal Horror
At level 15, you are able to channel the undying nature of fear itself. Once per long rest, when you drop to 0 Hit Points, you vanish instead of falling prone. At the beginning of your next turn, you may reappear anywhere within 60 feet and act out an entire turn as though you were conscious. You have advantage against creatures that dealt damage to you in the previous round. After you have completed your turn, you fall prone and unconscious as normal.

\pagebreak

### Mask of Grandeur

The thunder of the gods is channeled through this striking Mask, pushing you beyond your mortal limits. The Mask of Grandeur grants you and your allies transcendent power to push you to victory.

#### Bonus Proficiency
For as long as you are wearing and attuned to this Mask, you gain proficiency in Religion and Intimidation.

#### Lead By Example
At level 3, if a friendly creature observes you succeeding on a check or save, they gain advantage against that same check.

#### Sworn to Victory
By level 7, you have grown so assured in your righteous cause that defeat seems like an impossibility. Once per long rest, you may touch a willing creature to grant them immunity to a single condition for one minute.

#### Secret Power
At level 11, you learn to summon amazing abilities from previously hidden depths. Once per long rest, you may cast a single spell from any spell list without the need for material components. This spell cannot be at a higher level than what you can normally cast.

#### Final Form
By level 15, you can finally unleash the true extent of your power. As a reaction, you may remove any conditions upon yourself. On your next turn, you gain advantage on all weapon and spell attacks, and you may cast Thaumaturgy as a free action. Once you have used this skill, you cannot use it again until you have completed a long rest.

### Mask of Hilarity

A cartoon caricature brought to life, this archetype specializes in the unexpected. The Mask of Hilarity makes the thespian annoyingly hard to kill and grants broad movement and condition options.

#### Bonus Proficiency
For as long as you are wearing and attuned to this Mask, you gain proficiency in Athletics and Performance.

#### Seeing Stars
At level 3, when you take damage, you may reduce it by half in exchange for becoming Stunned. When you deal damage, you may also reduce it by half in exchange for the other creature becoming Stunned. Once you have used this skill, you cannot use it again until you have taken a long rest.

#### Eat My Dust
At level 7, you learn to make a quick getaway that sends foes reeling. You movement speed doubles for one turn and you do not trigger attacks of opportunity. Any creature of your choice that you pass within 5 feet of must make a Constitution saving throw versus your Spell Save DC. If they fail, they cannot make attacks of opportunity and have disadvantage on Perception checks for one minute. Once you have used this skill, you cannot use it again until you have taken a long rest.

#### Overreaction
By the time you reach level 11, you can richochet away from a potential source of danger. As a reaction, whenever you take damage, you may immediately move up to 30 feet in any direction. You do not take attacks of opportunity from any creatures that attacked you in the last round. Once you have used this skill, you cannot use it again until you have taken a long rest.

#### Rubbery Recoil
At level 15, you learn how to invoke comedic timing to deal karmic damage to your opponents. As a reaction, whenever you take damage from a creature, you may force the creature that attacked you to make a Constitution saving throw versus your Spell Save DC. On a failed save, that creature must take the damage instead of you. On a successful save you both take half damage. Once you have used this skill, you cannot use it again until you have taken a long rest.

### Mask of Quiescence
This is the Mask that wants to be neither seen nor heard. The Mask of Quiescence specializes in sneak attacks and melding into the environment.

#### Bonus Proficiency
For as long as you are wearing and attuned to this Mask, you gain proficiency in Stealth and Deception.

#### Motionless Disguise
At level 3, you learn how to move so slowly as to render yourself unnoticeable. If you have not used your movement speed for this round, you may cast Invisibility on a creature you can touch as a bonus action. The spell breaks when the creature uses its movement speed.

#### One of Those Faces
By level 7, as an action, you can make yourself seem utterly inconspicuous. For the next 10 minutes, a creature must make an Insight check against your spellcasting number or else believe that you are no one of importance, or meant to be there. Once you have used this ability, you cannot use it again until you have completed a long rest.

#### Inhuman Mind
At level 11, you have learned how to totally embrace the anonymity of the environment. Others have disadvantage on Insight checks against you, as well as attempts to charm you or read your mind.

#### Invisible Attack
By level 15, you can strike with deadly force out of thin air. You may spend 10 minutes memorizing the shape and weight of any simple weapon. You may then at any time, as a bonus action, summon an invisible duplicate of that weapon that deals the same damage as the original. This invisible weapon lasts until the end of your turn. You cannot replicate unique or magical properties of weapons.

\pagebreak

## Thespian Spell List

##### 1st Level
Bane

Bless

Charm Person

Comprehend Languages

Detect Evil and Good

Disguise Self

Expeditious Retreat

False Life

Feather Fall

Heroism

Hex

Identify

Jump

Shield

Silent Image

Sleep

Tasha’s Hideous Laughter

Unseen Servant

##### 2nd Level

Alter Self

Augury

Blindness/Deafness

Calm Emotions

Crown of Madness

Detect Thoughts

Enhance Ability

Enthrall

Hold Person

Knock

Levitate

Magic Mouth

Magic Weapon

Mirror Image

Nystul’s Magic Aura

Pass Without Trace

Phantasmal Force

Ray of Enfeeblement

Silence

Spiritual Weapon

Suggestion

Warding Bond

Zone of Truth

##### 3rd Level

Bestow Curse

Clairvoyance

Counterspell

Dispel Magic

Fear

Feign Death

Fly

Hypnotic Pattern

Major Image

Nondetection

Protection From Energy

Remove Curse

Sending

Tongues

Water Breathing

##### 4th Level

Awaken

Banishment

Compulsion

Confusion

Divination

Freedom of Movement

Hallucinatory Terrain

Phantasmal Killer

Polymorph

##### 5th Level

Animate Objects

Creation

Commune

Dominate Person

Dream

Geas

Hold Monster

Legend Lore

Mislead

Modify Memory

Rary’s Telepathic Bond

Reincarnate

Scrying

Seeming

Wall of Force

</div>

> ##### Special Thanks
> Vyktorrea, Dilly, and The Discord of Many Things for their extremely helpful advice for this work in progress.
>Thanks also to Gweniviere for being the first playtester.

\pagebreak

# Images That Won't Do What I Want> ##### Catchy Title
> Useful Information

oh god i am not good with images pls to help

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/77/01/ae/7701ae8b01c918ed923173f201dd0896.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bS7afw3aXPw/T6HxB_6D6TI/AAAAAAAAAlo/BoLHiOZKcIw/s1600/D%2526DArtTest_Culture.jpg

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/2a/a6/7f/2aa67f14876e927a76c3832e96a4bc68.jpg

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/de/f3/98/def3985373fdc24e51bed5367ccd99e8.jpg

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/cd/c1/b9/cdc1b9407b6bdce0a1999b3e97b28982.jpg

http://www.dndadventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/mask-3.jpg

https://pillowfortmedia.s3.amazonaws.com/posts/1a47d89f7205_Commission%20-%201802_01.png

http://cdn.obsidianportal.com/assets/99819/MaskofWinters.jpg

https://img.fireden.net/tg/image/1477/50/1477500431163.jpg