Paradox
A half-elf draws her bow and shoots an arrow. It arches through the air but the goblin dodges it. Quite satisfied with it the goblin laughs but as he realized the half-elf already stabbed his stomach with a shortsword. The arrow was never shot somehow.
A downed tiefling is kneeling down, injured, while a a group of bandits decided to strike all out to him. One, two, three, swings were launched but the tiefling evaded every move as if he already knew what was coming.
A halfling needs to run past through a heavily guarded mansion. He closes his eyes and concentrate for a bit. As he opens his eyes he walks past the guards easily as if he already knows their patrol patterns and timing.
Whatever they used their knowledge on, a paradox has a high level of understanding on how moments in timeflow connects to each other. They use that understanding to manipulate the flow and gain advantage in battle.
The Flow of Time
Timeline a collection of points of events that formed a fine line that doesn't have a clear start and doesn't have an end. Contrary to the general beliefs, timeline is not an abstract concept of points in time. This concept of continuation can be observed in the shape of Timeflow, the relative movement of existence on the fine sturdy track of time.
A few people who dedicated their life into observing this flow of time could gain a higher understanding and a certain level of ability to manipulate the flow itself. These people are generally called as Chronologists.
Paradox
Some of the Chronologists, decided to use their ability and understanding of timeflow to heighten their ability to fight. These people manipulate time to control the physical interaction of things, to gain advantage by obtaining information from the future, or to give disadvantage by controlling the perception of time. These people are called the Paradoxes as they don't care about how their radical actions might change the world completely or anger the absolute controller of the universe's timeflow.
Creating a Paradox
When creating a Paradox, first consider the origin of your knowledge of timeline and its flow. Is it rigorous self studying initiated by pure interest? Perhaps, you were born with a gift that let you see the flow of time. Maybe you learned from a superior being, someone who you asked guidance from. This origin may also be unknown to you.
Class Name
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Control Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Chronological Expert, Chrono Focus | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Paradoxical Control | 2 |
| 3rd | +2 | Paradox Archetype | 3 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 |
| 5th | +3 | Chrono Focus Attack, Chronological Drain | 5 |
| 6th | +3 | Paradox Archetype Feature | 6 |
| 7th | +3 | Evasion, Deja Vu | 7 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 8 |
| 9th | +4 | Chrono Focus Improvement | 9 |
| 10th | +4 | Trial and Error | 10 |
| 11th | +4 | Paradox Archetype Feature | 11 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 12 |
| 13th | +5 | Deja vu Improvement, Timeless detective | 13 |
| 14th | +5 | Speedy Recovery | 14 |
| 15th | +5 | Master of Own Timeflow | 15 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 16 |
| 17th | +6 | Paradox Archetype Feature | 17 |
| 18th | +6 | Paradoxical Immortality, Reset | 18 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 19 |
| 20th | +6 | Time Leap | 20 |
Quick Build
You can make a paradox quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Intelligence your highest ability score, followed by Strength or Dexterity. Second, choose the Sage background.
Class Features
As a paradox, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d8 per paradox level
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per paradox level after 1st
Proficiencies
- Armor: Light Armor
- Weapons: Simple weapons, Shortsword, Rapier
- Tools: None
- Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
- Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, History, Perception,
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a Rapier or (b) a Shortsword
- (a) a Shortbow with a Quiver of 20 Arrows or (b) a Shortsword
- (a) a Dungeoneer's Pack or (b) an Explorer's Pack
- Leather Armor
Chronological Expert
You mastered reading the flow of time. Without any measuring tools you can exactly measure the passage of time to the details of a second. Whenever you’re being teleported to a place with different timeflow compared to the material plane, you will know exactly how much of a difference it is.
You can also choose to tap into the timeflow as you try to recall an historical event. Using this feature you can gain advantage in an Intelligence (History) check.
You regain expended use of this feature after you finish a short or long rest.
Chrono Focus
At level 1 you gain the ability to focus and connect your mind to the timeflow of the world, enabling you to manipulate it to move faster and more precisely. As a bonus action you can enter the Chrono Focus State and get the following benefit :
- Your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Intelligence modifier
- You have advantage on Intelligence check and Intelligence saving throws.
- Your walking speed increases by 10ft.
- You can interact with up to three objects or features of the environment without using action instead of one.
Chrono Focus State will end after 1 minute or if you’re knocked unconscious. You can use this feature twice. You regain all expended use when you finish a short or long rest.
Paradoxical Control
Starting at level 2 when you enter the Chrono Focus State, you have the ability to manipulate the timeflow further. Your access to this ability is represented by a number of Control points. Your Paradox level determines the number of Control points you have, as shown in the Paradox Point column of the Paradox table.
You can use Control point to do a number of Paradoxical Controls which you will gain as you raise your Paradox level. Spending a Control Point can only be done when you are in a Chrono Focus State.
When you spend Control Points, you need to spend at least 1 hour during a long rest to realign yourself with the timeflow and regain all expended use.
Some Paradoxical Control will require the target to take a saving throw to resist it’s effect. The saving throw DC is calculated as such :
Paradoxical Control DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +
Second Chance
Whenever you failed an attack roll as an attack action you can spend 1 Control point to roll back the time for a split second to redo the attack.
Flawless Parry
When you’re about to be hit by an attack, you can use your reaction and spend 1 control point to gain bonus +5 AC during that turn.
Paradox Achetypes
At 3rd level you choose certain ways you want to focus your timeflow manipulation on. All choice regarding this will be detailed at the end of this class description.
Your choice grants you a feature at 3rd level and again at 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th 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 your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Chrono Focus Attack
Starting at level 5, whenever you take an attack action while in Chrono Focus State, you can make another attack with the same weapon on the same target. You may use your Intelligence modifier for this attack instead of Strength or Dexterity. If it hits it deals psychic damage instead of the weapon’s damage type.
Chronological Drain
Starting at level 5, as an action, you can spend 1 Control point to change other creatures' perception of timeflow of up to 2 target creatures within 30 feet of you. Time will be perceived extremely slower for them and disrupt their focus to the point of exhaustion.
The target needs to succeed an Intelligence saving throw against your Paradoxical Control DC or suffer exhaustion level 3 for 1 minute. Creatures affected by this feature make another Intelligence saving throw at the start of their next turn.
Evasion
At 7th level, a slight minor constant effect of Chrono Focus lets you dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a blue dragon’s lightning breath or a Fireball spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Deja Vu
Messing with timeflow sometimes confuses you, giving you the feeling that you’ve already seen, heard, or done the exact thing before. But, starting at 7th level, you’re already accustomed to it and can use it to your advantage to control the confusion and focus on critical information only. As an action, you can use this feature to gain advantage on Intelligence (Investigation) and Wisdom (Perception and Insight) checks during the next hour.
You regain expended use of this feature when you finish a short or long rest. Starting at 13th level, when you use this feature, you also gain advantage on Dexterity saving throws against traps, you know exactly where hidden doors are, and you can’t be surprised.
Improved CHrono Focus
At level 9, you already mastered the art of Chrono Focus. You gain the following benefits :
- Your weapon attacks during Chrono Focus State count as magical for the purpose of overcoming Resistance and Immunity to non-magical attacks and damage.
- Being knocked unconscious no longer ends your Chrono Focus State.
- The number of Chrono Focus uses now equals 2 + your intelligence modifier (minimum of 1).
Trial and Error
When you’re needed to do an ability check that involves using a tool, you can spend one use of Chrono Focus State to keep trying in a contained timeflow. Treat a roll of 9 or lower on the d20 as a 10.
Timeless Detective
At 13th level you gain the ability to read the world’s history straight from the timeflow of the area. If you spent at least 10 minutes meditating to focus your mind on the world’s timeflow, you can see things that happened in 100ft radius during the past 2 hours as if you experienced it yourself. You can use this feature as many times as 1 + half of your Intelligence modifier rounded down (minimum of 1).
You regain all expended uses at the end of a long rest.
Speedy Recovery
At level 14 you gain the ability to move your timeflow slightly into the future. You can use this feature to end all effects on you that have a duration of 1 minute or shorter. This duration extends to 1 hour as you reach 20th level.
You regain expended use of this feature after finishing a short or long rest.
Master of Own Timeflow
At level 15, you mastered time control enough to make sure you and the universe are the only ones who can control your timeflow. You are immune to Slow spell.
Additionally, you can cast Haste as an action on yourself by expending 4 control points.
Paradoxical Immortality
Starting at 17th level, your mastery on time manipulation let you to an unusual kind of control on your own age. At the end of a long rest you can manipulate your age freely. You can regress to a young body or grow to an older one. Your body won’t die of old age if you say so but progressing into an older body will progress everything including scars and diseases.
Reset
At level 17, you also gain the ability to turn back time to a point in the immediate past. As an action you can expend 8 control points to turn the world’s timeline back to the start of the last three rounds and undo everything that happened except the usage of this feature and the control points expended for this feature.
Choose up to 4 creatures within 60 feet range to retain their memories of the 3 rounds you reset. The DM will determine how this reset affects the whole world and who else retain their memories of this reset.
The stress of using this feature weakens you. After enduring that stress, each time you use a feature that expends control points until you finish a long rest, you take 1d10 necrotic damage for each control point you expended.
You may use this feature again only after 3d6 days.
Time Leap
You mastered the control of time flow. At 20th level you’re able to send complete memories back to the past without any issues. On your turn, you can use this feature and get one of following effects :
- You know every action your enemies will exactly do between the time you use this feature and the start of your next turn. All attacks against you immediately fails until the start of your next turn.
- You know exactly how the enemies will move. All your attack rolls automatically succeed until the start of your next turn.
- You will know immediately when someone lies to you during the next hour.
- You succeed all saving throws until the start of your next turn.
You can use this feature once and regain the use when you finish a short or long rest.
Paradox Archetype
Each Paradox uses their ability and understanding to a certain style of manipulation. These styles can be classified into archetypes, a few of which is detailed below.
Momentum Manipulator
Momentum Manipulators are Paradoxes who use their power to freely control the flow of movements relative to their time constraint. They use this prowess to speed up or slow down attacks to manipulate their effects on their targets. Taking advantage of this ability, a Momentum Manipulator can strive to be a excellent warrior.
Bonus Proficiency
When you take this feature on level 3, you gain proficiency on medium armor, shields, and two martial melee weapons of your choice. You also gain proficiency on Smith’s Tools.
Extra Chrono Focus State Benefit
Starting at 3rd level, you also gain extra bonuses when you enter Chrono Focus State. You gain the following benefits :
- Your weapon attacks deal an extra 1d6 damage.
- You also gain the benefit of one fighting style of your choice
Defense
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
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.
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, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the Two-Handed or Versatile property for you to gain this benefit.
Momentum Break
Starting at 6th level, when you’re about to be hit by an attack, you can spend 1 Control Point to reduce the damage of that attack by 1d6.
Amplification
Starting at 11th level, the extra damage you deal during Chrono Focus State and the damage reduction of Momental Break feature changes to 1d8.
You can also spend up to 3 extra control points when you use your Momentum Break feature to get extra 1d8 for each point you spend this way.
Momentum Return
At 17th level, you gain the ability to absorb the momentum of an attack you received and return it with higher impact.
When you receive the damage of an attack, as a reaction, you can spend 4 Control Points to do a weapon attack targeting the creature who attacked you. If the attack hits, it deals as much damage as the one that triggered this feature x 1.5 of the weapon's damage type.
Relativity Throttle
Relativity Throttles are Paradoxes who use their power to manipulate the continuity of timeflow. Paradoxes of this archetype focuses on doing more attacks faster in the expense of their own safety.
Returning Supporter
Returning Supporters are Paradoxes who use their manipulating ability and knowledge from the future to protect their allies. Paradoxes of this archetype has the ability to access others' future in addition of their own and has the ability to share them.
Cheating Trickster
Cheating Tricksters are Paradoxes who excel in planning an infiltration, placing traps, even executing assassination. They excels more than others because they can access information they need from the flow of time.
Flow Repeater
Flow Repeaters are Paradoxes who focuses on one single feature of time flow manipulation, time loops. Using this, they excel at giving their enemies disadvantages and their allies advantages.