Voidbinder v.0.2

by Feruchemist

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Voidbinder [v.0.2]

This is playtest content

This is version 0.2 of the Voidbinder class for fifth edition Dungeons and Dragons. The class is currently being tested. Any feedback on the class, including critiques and anecdotes of how it performs in play are greatly appreciated. You can reach me on r/dndhomebrew, where my username is u/Arcane_P34, r/unearthedarcana (also u/Arcane_P34), as well as on ENWorld, where my username is @Aebir-Toril.

The Voidbinder

  A screaming human charges at a horde of goblins, her body decaying into ribbons of eldritch energy as she runs. Before the goblins have a chance to counterattack, the whole front line is dead, and the human is behind them.
  A serene elf raises their hand, and shifts through a series of solid, stone walls in the Fane of Nightmares, arriving, incorporeal, in the sleeping chamber of the cultists. Laughing softly, the elf drifts from cultist to cultist, quietly withering their physical forms.
  Chanting fervently, a dwarf wearing black and purple robes dashes through the battlefield with incredible speed, and utters a blasphemous chant that causes the Yuan-Ti before him to, wracked with pain, cry tears of blood as death draws near.
  All of these heroes are Voidbinders, people whose dabbling in the powers of the Void has ruined their physical forms and corrupted their souls. Whether your acquisition of Voidbinder powers was voluntary or involuntary, pact-based, or a curse, deliberate, or an accident, you have gained certain Void-based powers that, although they fray your form and disrupt reality, have great potential.

Class Features:

As a Voidbinder, you gain the following class features:

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d4 per Voidbinder level
Hit Points as 1st Level: 4 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d4 (or 3) + your Constitution modifier per Voidbinder level after 1st.

Proficiencies

Armor: None
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: None

Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
Skills: Choose three from Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, Religion, and Stealth

Equipment [3d4 x 10 gp]

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

  • (a) 5 daggers or (b) a hand crossbow and 20 bolts
  • (a) a greatsword or (b) two light martial weapons
  • (a) an explorer's pack or (b) a dungeoneer's pack
  • One martial weapon, 10 darts, and a whip

Void Points

The majority of your most powerful Voidbinder abilities are fueled by the unearthly energy of the Void, which you have limited access to. In play, this Void energy is represented by Void points, which must be spent in order to use many Voidbinder abilities.
  At 1st level, you have 4 Void points to activate abilities with. The number of Void points available to you increases with your Voidbinder level, as shown in the Void Points column of the Voidbinder table.
  Once you exhaust your pool of Void Points, you cannot activate abilities that require Void Point expenditure until you regain your Void points.
  You regain all expended Void Points when you finish a short or long rest.

Unarmored Defense

Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your Ac equals 10 + your Dexterity Modifier + your Intelligence modifier.

Void Stride

Starting at 1st level, you can channel the energy of the Void to phase in and out of existence rapidly. Once on your turn, for the cost of 1 Void Point, you may activate your Void Stride. While your Void Stride is active, you have resistance to all damage, and you can take the Dash and Disengage actions as bonus actions instead.
  The Void Stride lasts until the beginning of your next turn.

Unreal Defense

Starting at 2nd level, you can expend 1 Void Point to take the Dodge action as a bonus action on your turn.

Void Arcanes

Beginning at 2nd level, you can access potent, Void-based abilities called Void Arcanes. Void Arcanes are not considered magical for the purpose of the effects like dispel magic, but are otherwise considered magical. Each Void Arcane requires a bonus action to activate. Your Void Arcanes are detailed below:

Void Strikes

As a bonus action, for the cost of 1 Void Points, you can imbue your attacks with the energy of the Void. For the remainder of your turn, each of your attacks deals an additional 1d4 necrotic damage on a hit.

Void Portal

As a bonus action, for the cost of 1 Void Point, you teleport to one unoccupied space within 60 feet of you that you can see.

Void Form

As a bonus action, for the cost of 1 Void Point, you gain immunity to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage until the end of your turn.

The Voidbinder
Level Proficiency Bonus Features Chants Known Void Points
1st +2 Unarmored Defense, Void Stride, Soul of the Void 4
2nd +2 Unreal Defense, Void Arcanes 6
3rd +2 Voidbinder Decays, Voidbinder Decay Feature, Void Chants 3 8
4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 3 10
5th +3 Extra Attack (2) 3 14
6th +3 Void-Empowered Attacks 4 16
7th +3 Voidbinder Decay Feature 4 18
8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 4 20
9th +4 Void of Emotion, Permanent Emptiness 4 24
10th +4 Unstable Body 4 26
11th +4 Extra Attack (3), Voidbinder Decay Feature 5 28
12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 5 30
13th +5 Improved Void Stride 5 34
14th +5 Eyes of the Void 5 36
15th +5 Voidbinder Decay Feature 5 38
16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 5 40
17th +6 Devastating Power 6 44
18th +6 Improved Unreal Defense 6 46
19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 6 48
20th +6 Aspect of Void 6 Unlimited

Void Blast

As a bonus action, for the cost of 1 Void Point, you fire a bolt of Void energy toward a target within 120 feet of you that you can see. Make an attack roll using Intelligence against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d8 + your Intelligence modifier necrotic damage.

Voidbinder Decays

When you reach 3rd level, you select an archetype, a decay, which defines what type of Voidbinder you are. Choose your decay from the following: Vortex Decay, Wraith Decay, or Voidsoul Decay, all of which are detailed at the end of this class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 7th, 11th, and 15th level.

Void Chants

In your devotion to the power of the Void, you have discovered how to vocalize unearthly Void secrets known as Void Chants.
  At 3rd level, you gain three Void Chants of your choice. Your Void Chant options are detailed at the end of the class description, after decays. When you gain certain Voidbinder levels, you gain additional Void Chants of your choice, as shown in the Chants Known column of the Voidbinder table.
  Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Chants you know and replace it with another Chant that you could learn at that level.

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 yourchoice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Void-Empowered Attacks

Starting at 6th level, your attacks count as magical for the purpose of overcome resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Void of Emotion

Beginning at 9th level, you are immune to being charmed or frightened.

Permanent Emptiness

Starting at 9th level, your body has been corrupted by Void energies to the extent that you no longer need food or water to survive. Furthermore, you are immune to disease and poison.

Unstable Body

Starting at 10th level, if you are reduced to 0 hit points, you can release the energies of the Void as your physical form fails. When you are reduced to 0 hit points and not killed outright, you can expend 5 Void Points to unleash a wave of energy that extends out from you for 30 feet in all directions, dealing 8d6 necrotic damage to all creatures (other than you) that are within range.
  Once you use this ability, you can's use it again until you finish a long rest.

Improved Void Stride

Starting at 13th level, whenever you activate your Void Stride, your jump distances are doubled until your Void Stride ends.
  In addition, while your Void Stride is active, you have advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks.

Eyes of the Void

Beginning at 14th level, your connection the the Void allows you to peer through reality in a way few others can.
  You can see in magical and normal darkness out to range of 120 feet. You can see invisible creatures and the true forms of shapeshifters out to the same range.

Improved Unreal Defense

Beginning at 18th level, you can expend 6 Void Points to take the Dodge action without expending an action or bonus action once on each of your turns.

Aspect of Void

At 20th level, while your Void Stride is active, you are immune to all damage, and attacks of opportunity made against you automatically miss.

Vortex Decay

Voidbinders hwo follow the Vortex Decay are nightmares in combat. Ripping through hordes of enemies in an instant, they nimbly execute all who oppose them.

Vortex of Blades

Starting when you choose this decay at 3rd level, you gain access to a Void technique known as the Vortex of Blades. As a bonus action, you can expend 3 Void Points to activate your Vortex of Blades, which lasts for 1 minute or until you fall unconscious. While your Vortex of Blades is active, you gain the following benefits:

  • Your base speeds temporarily increase by 10 feet.
  • Attacks of opportunity made against you have disadvantage.
  • Your weapon attacks each deal an additional amount of necrotic damage equal to your Intelligence modifier on a hit.
Note: Vortex of Blades

Refer to v.0.1 for previous incarnation. Is this version of Vortex of Blades more balanced than the first? Is it still fun? Would you change anything? Is this over-powered?

Nimble Destroyer

Beginning at 7th level, whenever a creature makes an attack of opportunity against you and misses, you can make an attack with a melee weapon that you are holding against it as a reaction.

Dancer in the Dark

Starting at 11th level, while you are in an area of dim light or darkness, you can take one reaction on each turn in combat.

Eternal Vortex

Starting at 15th level, when you die, you can expend 8 Void Points to instantly return to life with full hit points and the effect of a haste spell cast on you.
  Once you return to life using this ability, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

Wraith Decay

Voidbinders who follow the Wraith Decay embrace the slow destruction of their physical forms. Rather than rage against it, members of the Wraith Decay use the annihilation of their bodies to their advantage, allowing them to become incorporeal warriors no longer bound by mortal laws of motion.

Wraith Stride

Starting when you choose this decay at 3rd level, your Void Stride allows you to phase through obstacles. While your Void Stride is active, you can pass through creatures, objects, and surfaces. If you are inside of a creature, object, or surface when your turn ends, you take 1d10 force damage, and you are then teleported into the nearest unoccupied space.

Drain Essence

Starting at 7th level, when you reduce a hostile creature to 0 hit points, you gain 1d4 + your Intelligence modifier temporary hit points.

Void Motion

Beginning at 11th level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, you can expend 2 Void Points to gain a fly (hover) speed equal to your base walking speed for 1 minute or until you fall unconscious.

Improved Wraith Stride

Starting at 15th level, while your Void Stride is active, you cannot become blinded, deafened, paralyzed, petrified, or prone.
  In addition, while your Void Stride is active, your speeds are tripled, rather than doubled.

Voidsoul Decay

Voidbinders who follow the Voidsoul Decay study the ancient Void Chants to a further extent than even other Voidbinders. Their Chants empower them, and grant them strength in and out of combat. Unlike other Voidbinders, Voidbinders from the Voidsoul Decay believe that their Void Chants are the most powerful element of their repertoire.

Master of Chants

Starting when you choose this decay at 3rd level, you gain one additional Void Chant.

Voice of the Void

Beginning at 7th level, while you are concentrating on a Void Chant, you have advantage on Constitution saving throws made to maintain concentration.
  In addition, you gain proficiency in the Deception and Persuasion skills.

Skilled Chanter

Starting at 11th level, you can concentrate on up to two Chants at once, rather than one.

Invigorating Chanting

Starting at 15th level, while concentrating on a Chant, you gain 5 temporary hit points at the beginning of each of your turns.

Void Chants

If a Void Chant has prerequisite, you must meet them to learn it. You can learn the Void Chant at the same time that you meet its prerequisites. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class.

Save DCs for Chants

If a Chant effect mentions that the target must make a saving throw, you use your Chant saving throw DC, which is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier.

Concentrating on Chants

All void Chants require concentration as if you were concentrating on a spell. All Void Chants are thus marked "conc." Normally, you can concentrate on only one Chant at one time. If you activate a Chant, normally, you lose concentration on any other Chants you were concentrating on. All other rules pertaining to maintaining concentration are identical to concentrating on a spell.

Chants

Abrogation Chant

conc.
You can activate or deactivate this Chant as a bonus action. The Chant lasts until you deactivate it, or until you lose concentration.
  While the Abrogation Chant is active, you gain the following benefits:

  • Your AC increases by +2.
  • You gain the following abilities:
Negation Shield

As an action, you can can expend 1 Void Point to create a Void-based effect known as a Negation Shield. It surrounds a creature of your choice within 30 feet of you that you can see (you can also choose to target yourself), and lasts for 1 minute or until you lose concentration on this Chant. A creature surrounded by the Negation Shield is immune to force damage and magic missile spells.

Abrogate

As a reaction, when a creature casts a spell targeting you, you can expend 1 Void Point to force it to make an Intelligence saving throw against your Void Chant save DC. If it fails the saving throw, the spell deals half damage to you if it would deal any damage. If the target's saving throw fails by 10 or more, the spell is wasted, and has no effect.
  Once you use Abrogate to cancel a spell in the latter way, you can't do so again until you finish a short rest.

Acumen Chant

conc.
You can activate or deactivate this Chant as a bonus action. The Chant lasts until you deactivate it, or until you lose concentration.
  While the Acumen Chant is active, you gain the following benefits:

  • You have advantage on Intelligence (Arcana) checks.
  • You gain the following abilities:
Acumen Perception

As an action, you can expend 1 Void Point to cast detect magic or detect good and evil without expending a spell slot or material components.

Acumen Identification

As an action, you can expend 1 Void Point to cast identify without expending a spell slot or material components.

Barbaric Chant

conc.
You can activate or deactivate this Chant as a bonus action. The Chant lasts until you deactivate it, or until you lose concentration.
  While the Barbaric Chant is active, you gain the following benefits:

  • Your melee weapon attacks deal an additional +2 damage of the same type as the melee weapon's base damage type on a hit.
  • You gain the following abilities:
Note: Chants

Do any Void Point costs seem too low? Do some seem too high? Have I implemented Void Points effectively? If not, how, and how can I improve? Are the passive effects of Void Chants too potent?

Barbaric Fury

Melee Attack Ability
As an action, you can expend 2 Void Points to tap into a well of barbaric rage to make three melee weapon attacks against a creature you can see within range. This increases to 6 Void Points and four melee weapon attacks at 11th level, and 9 Void Points and five attacks at 15th level.
  After you use this ability, you gain 1d4 levels of exhaustion. If gaining exhaustion in this way would cause you to reach six levels of exhaustion, you instead fall unconscious and can't be woken until you finish a long rest.

Barbaric Glory

As a bonus action, you can expend 1 Void Point to gain a number of temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier times two.

Destructive Chant

conc.
You can activate or deactivate this Chant as a bonus action. The Chant lasts until you deactivate it, or until you lose concentration.
  While the Destructive Chant is active, you gain the following benefits:

  • Your attacks deal an additional +1 necrotic damage.
  • You gain the following abilities:
Void Explosion

Ranged Attack Ability
As an action, you expend 2 Void Points to hurl a cyst of Void energy into a space within 60 feet of you that you can see. The cyst then explodes in violent release of Void energy that extends out to a range of 10 feet from the Void cyst in all directions. A creature caught in the cyst's explosion must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 3d4 + half (rounded down) of your current Voidbinder level necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
  At 11th level, the Void Point cost becomes 4 Void Points, and the damage dice for this ability become d6s.

Void Lighting

Ranged Attack Ability
As an action, you expend 2 Void Points to release a bolt of Void lightning from your finger. Make an attack roll using Intelligence against a target that you can see within 120 feet of you. On a hit, the target takes necrotic damage equal to your Voidbinder level + your Intelligence modifier.

Doom Chant

conc.
You can activate or deactivate this Chant as a bonus action. The Chant lasts until you deactivate it, or until you lose concentration.
  While the Doom Chant is active, you gain the following benefits:

  • Hostile creatures within 15 feet of you have disadvantage on saving throws using Charisma and Constitution.
  • You gain the following abilities:

Expose Mortality

Ranged Attack Ability
As an action, you expend 3 Void Points to invoke the terrifying power of the Void to expose the frailness of flesh and plant forms. Choose a non-Undead, non-Construct, non-elemental creature that you can see within 30 feet of you. The target must make a Constitution saving throw.
  On a failed save, it take 2d4 necrotic damage and becomes poisoned for 1 minute or until you lose concentration. If the target's saving throw fails by 5 or more, it is poisoned for 10 minutes or until you lose concentration instead.

Invoke Fear

As an action, you expend 3 Void Points to reveal the endless nothingness of the Void to a creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw.
  On a failed save, the target becomes frightened of you until the end of your next turn. On a success, the target is immune to the effect of your Invoke Fear ability for 24 hours.

Insane Chant

conc.
You can activate or deactivate this Chant as a bonus action. The Chant lasts until you deactivate it, or until you lose concentration.
  While the Insane Chant is active, you gain the following benefits:

  • All creatures (including you) within 30 feet of you have disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws.
  • You gain the following abilities:
Insane Rampage

Melee Attack Ability
As an action, you expend 2 Void Points to throw yourself into a state of momentary insanity. Roll a d6 and consult the table below to determine what you do while in the throes of madness:

d6 Effect
1 You make two attacks against the closest creature you can see with one melee weapon you are holding, moving if you are able to and it is necessary to do so.
2 You move up to your full speed in any direction.
3 You make one attack with a melee weapon you are holding against the closest ally you can see, moving if you are able to and it is necessary to do so. If you can't see an an ally, you take 1d6 psychic damage and do nothing for the remainder of your turn.
4 You scream loudly, alerting all creatures that can hear you to your presence as long as they are within 300 feet of you.
5 You make three attacks against the closest creature you can see with one melee weapon you are holding, moving if you are able to and it is necessary to do so.
6 Roll again, ignoring a result of 6.
Feedback

Are the Chants presented herein balanced?

Curse of Irrationality

As an action, you expend 3 Void Points to Chant with such insane fervor that it can drive others mad. As an action, choose a creature within 30 feet of you that can hear you. The creature must make a Wisdom saving throw.
  On a failed save, the target becomes frightened of all creatures other than itself for 1d8 rounds, and must spend each of its turns while frightened trying to move as far away from other creatures as it can. On a successful save, the target becomes immune to your Curse of Irrationality for 24 hours.

Mighty Chant

conc.
You can activate or deactivate this Chant as a bonus action. The Chant lasts until you deactivate it, or until you lose concentration.
  While the Mighty Chant is active, you gain the following benefits:

  • You have advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks.
  • You gain the following abilities:
Forceful Shove

Melee Attack Ability
As an action, you expend 1 Void Point make a special melee attack against a creature of the same or smaller size than you that is within 5 feet of you. Make an attack roll using Strength. On a hit, the target is pushed 15 feet backwards, and must succeed on a Strength saving throw or fall prone.

Mighty Endurance

As a reaction, when you would be forced to make a Strength saving throw to avoid being pushed pack, knocked prone, or restrained, you can expend 2 Void Points in order to choose to succeed on the saving throw instead.

Nihil Chant

conc.
You can activate or deactivate this Chant as a bonus action. The Chant lasts until you deactivate it, or until you lose concentration.
  While the Nihil Chant is active, you gain the following benefits:

  • Your thoughts cannot be read by magic.
  • You gain the following abilities:
Void Serenity

As an action, you expend 2 Void Points to enter a state known as Void Serenity, which lasts until you use an action to end it or until you lose concentration. While your Void Serenity is active, you lose the ability to make attacks, make ability checks, or move.
  However, while Void Serenity is active, you regain 10 hit points on each of your turns, and gain the ability to cast clairvoyance at will.

Note: Wording

Is the wording for Void Chant effects clear, or could it be revised to avoid confusion?

Reflexive Catatonia

As a reaction, when you would fail an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw, take psychic damage, or succumb to the insanity effect of a symbol spell, you can expend 2 Void Points to enter a state of reflexive catatonia to avoid harm. This catatonia lasts for 1 minute or until you lose concentration. While in this catatonic state, the following effects apply to you:

  • You are immune to psychic damage.
  • You cannot move.
  • You cannot make attack rolls or ability checks.
  • You cannot take actions or bonus actions.
  • You are unaware of your surroundings.
  • You automatically succeed on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws.
  • You gain 10 temporary hit points on each turn in combat.

Painful Chant

conc.
You can activate or deactivate this Chant as a bonus action. The Chant lasts until you deactivate it, or until you lose concentration.
  While the Painful Chant is active, you gain the following benefits:

  • You lose 2 hit points at the beginning of each of your turns in combat.
  • You gain the following abilities:
Invoke Agony

Ranged Attack Ability
As an action, you expend 2 Void Points to instill excruciating pain in one non-Construct, non-Elemental, non-Undead creature within 60 feet of you that you can see. That creature must make a Constitution saving throw.
  On a failed save, the target takes necrotic damage equal to your Voidbinder level + your Intelligence modifier, and becomes paralyzed for a number of rounds equal to your intelligence modifier. If the target fails its saving throw by 5 or more, it takes an additional 1d6 necrotic damage.

Sadistic Fervor

As a bonus action, you can expend 1 Void Point to gain advantage on attack rolls against creatures with half of their hit point total or fewer remaining for the remainder of your turn. While your Sadistic Fervor is in effect, critical hits scored against creatures with half hit points or fewer remaining deal an additional 1d6 necrotic damage to the target.

Saprogenic Chant

conc.
You can activate or deactivate this Chant as a bonus action. The Chant lasts until you deactivate it, or until you lose concentration.
  While the Saprogenic Chant is active, you gain the following benefits:

  • You cannot gain hit points or temporary hit points.
  • You gain the following abilities:
Investiture of Decay

As a bonus action, you can expend 2 Void Points to temporarily become a paragon of rot and decay, the Investiture of Decay. Your Investiture of Decay remains active until you deactivate it using a bonus action or until you lose concentration. While your Investiture of Decay is active, you gain the following benefits:

  • Creatures within 15 feet of you cannot gain hit points or temporary hit points.
  • Creatures within 10 feet of you have disadvantage on death saves.
  • Creatures within 5 feet of you (not including you) take 1d6 necrotic damage at the beginning of each of your turns.
Command Decay

As an action, you can expend 1 Void Point cast ray of sickness at its lowest level, without expending a spell slot or material components.

Weakening Chant

conc.
You can activate or deactivate this Chant as a bonus action. The Chant lasts until you deactivate it, or until you lose concentration.
  While the Weakening Chant is active, you gain the following benefits:

  • You have resistance to one damage type of your choice.
  • You gain the following abilities:
Instill Weakness

Ranged Attack Ability
As an action, you can expend 1 Void Point to attempt to weaken a target creature's resolve, making its efforts less effective. Choose a creature that you can see within 60 feet of you. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw.
  Ona failed save, the target creature has disadvantage on attack rolls made against you and allies within 15 feet of you for 1 minute, until you lose concentration, or until it succeeds on its Wisdom saving throw. An affected creature can repeat the Wisdom saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
  If the target fails the initial Wisdom saving throw by 5 or more, it takes 1d6 psychic damage.

Aura of Incompetence

As an action, you can expend 2 Void Points to activate a Void ability known as the Aura of Incompetence, which extends out from you for 15 feet in all directions. The Aura lasts for 1 minute or until you lose concentration. While the Aura is active, you gain the following benefits:

  • All creatures (including you) within the Aura's range regain the minimum number of hit points possible if they would gain any hit points or temporary hit points.
  • All creatures (including you) within the Aura's range have disadvantage on all ability checks and saving throws.




Changelog

v.0.1: Inaugural version of the Voidbinder.
v.0.2: Added Void Points, removed Void Illusion Void Arcane, added Void Point costs to Chant effects, changed Curse of Irrationality's Duration from 1d4 to 1d8 rounds, tweaked ability damage, re-worked Vortex of Blades, added Void Point costs to certain features, changed Void Stride.

Credits

I would like to thank all of the talented homebrewers and balancing-masters on r/dndhomebrew and r/UnearthedArcana for their helpful feedback. Thank you for taking the time to work on my homebrew class:

  • u/C1awed
  • u/ZiggenTheLord
  • u/Sparkdog
 

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