The Physicker

The Science of Life

While others may beseech deities or the spirits of nature to heal, physickers delve into research, both magical and mundane, to further their craft.

The rationalist approach can put the physicker at odds with those more inclined towards faith and ritual. It is not enough that something works - the physicker must know why it works. This curiosity can also lead physickers towards more aberrant pursuits as they are driven toward increasingly eccentric avenues of study.

The Art of Healing

More than mere academics, physickers put their knowledge into practice. The most traditional path for a physicker to take is that of a healer, using their vast medical knowledge to keep those they care about safe.

There are, however, other paths a physicker might choose. A talented surgeon could find their skill with a blade applies to more than just the operating table, and another physicker's research might drive them beyond simple healing, pushing them to improve upon the natural anatomy of their subjects.

Creating a Physicker

As you create your physicker character, consider your motivation and the source of your knowledge. Are you benevolent, desiring to help those in need? Do you seek some arcane or forbidden knowledge for your own benefit? You may be independent, a self-taught scholar who seeks knowledge wherever it may be found. Or perhaps you studied at a university or as the apprentice to another physicker, building upon a tradition of learning.

Consider your character's view of and place in the world. Are you at odds with those who rely on faith, or are you more accepting of those who walk a different path? Do you see your allies as comrades or patients? Do you have any particular loyalties or sense of duty that has put you on the path of adventure?

Hit Points

• Hit Dice: 1d8 per Physicker level
• Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per Physicker level after 1st

Proficiencies

• Armor: Light armor
• Weapons: Simple weapons
• Tools: Alchemist's supplies, weaver's tools

• Saving Throws: Constitution, Intelligence
• Skills: Medicine and two additional from Arcana, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Nature, Perception, or Persuasion

Equipment

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

• (a) a shortbow and quiver of 20 arrows or (b) 20 darts
• (a) a dungeoneer’s pack, (b) an explorer’s pack, or (c) a scholar's pack
• (a) a component pouch, or (b) an arcane focus.
• Leather armor, two daggers, two healer's kits

Spell Slots

The Physicker table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your Physicker 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 long rest.

For example, if you know the 1st-level cure wounds and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast cure wounds using either slot.

Spellcasting Focus

You can use an arcane focus (see chapter 5, “Equipment”) as a spellcasting focus for your Physicker spells.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

You know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the Physicker spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Physicker table shows when you learn more Physicker spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 5th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Physicker spells you know and replace it with another spell from the Physicker spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability

Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your Physicker spells, since your magic is based on your careful studies. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Physicker spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Physicker Techniques

Also at 3rd level, you begin to learn techniques associated with the specialty chosen at this level.

Your technique options are detailed at the end of the class description. When you gain certain physicker levels, you gain additional techniques of your choice, as shown in the Techniques Known column of the Physicker table.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the techniques you know and replace it with another technique that you could learn at that level.

If a technique has prerequisites, you must meet them to learn it. You can learn the technique at the same time that you meet its prerequisites. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class. You may ignore the specialty prerequisite only if you are replacing a technique learned with the Cross Discipline Technique feature.

Any spells granted by your techniques count as physicker spells for you.

Warding Touch

On adopting this specialty at 3rd level, you learn how to weave additional protective magic into your spells.

When you cast a spell, you may grant one creature affected by the spell temporary hit points equal to five times the spell's level.

You have a number of uses of this feature equal to your intelligence modifier and regain all expended uses upon finishing a short or long rest.

Chirurgeon's Care

Starting at 7th level, you are able to apply your healer's knowledge to aid the recovery of you and your allies.

At the end of each long rest, you and any creatures who spent their long rest with you each regain up to two additional hit dice and heal an additional level of exhaustion.

Master Healer

Starting at 11th level, whenever you roll dice to restore hit points to you or your allies, you may replace those dice with d12s.

Miraculous Procedure

At 15th level, you've progressed far enough in your craft to perform a wondrous feat of healing. You can cast Regenerate or Resurrection once without expending a spell slot. You must complete a long rest before doing so again.

When you cast Resurrection using this ability, it requires 500 gp of common alchemy supplies instead of the normal component cost.

Knife Expertise

Beginning when you adopt vivisection as your specialty at 3rd level, you have +1 to your attack and damage rolls with daggers and darts.

Crippling Precision

By 7th level, you've developed the skill and knowledge to cripple your foes with your attacks. Creatures damaged by your surgical precision can't take reactions and their movement speed is reduced by 10 ft. until the start of your next turn.

Vital Strike

At 11th level you're able to channel lethal magic into your foes' most vital areas.

When you inflict surgical precision damage, you can expend a spell slot to increase the bonus damage by 1d6 per level of the slot, and you can force the target to make a Constitution saving throw against your physicker spell save DC or be stunned until the end of your next turn.

Flay Defenses

By 15th level, you've mastered the use of your craft on the battlefield, allowing you to surgically inhibit your foes' ability to defend themselves.

When you inflict surgical precision damage to a creature, that creature's AC is reduced by 2 until the end of your next turn.

Inured to Magic

As part of adopting the experimentalist specialty at 3rd level, you are able to alter your physiology to better accustom it to magical augmentation.

When you are the target of a spell with a duration of 1 minute or longer, you can double its duration, to a maximum of 24 hours.

When you are the target of a spell which restores hit points or grants temporary hit points, you can increase either the hit points restored or temporary hit points gained by an amount equal to your intelligence modifier.

Mutable Form

Starting at 7th level, you gain enhanced control of your physical body. You learn the alter self spell if you don't already know it, and the spell doesn't require concentration when you cast it.

In addition, while under the effects of the alter self spell, you can mend your wounds with unnatural speed. For the duration, whenever you start your turn below half your maximum hit points and aren't incapacitated, you regain a number of hit points equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum 1).

Chirurgeon

Experimentalist

Slice and Dice

Prerequisite: Vivisectionist

When you take the attack action and attack with a dagger, you can make an attack with the same dagger as a bonus action.

Acupuncture Specialist

Prerequisite: Vivisectionist

You know the ensnaring strike, hail of thorns, and ice knife spells. You may replace any piercing damage done by these spells with your surgical precision damage.

Steady Hands

Prerequisite: Vivisectionist

You are proficient with Thieves' Tools and the Sleight of Hand skill.

Go for the Eyes

Prerequisite: Vivisectionist, level 5

You know the Blindness/Deafness spell. When you cast it, you can make one melee weapon attack against one of the targets as part of the same action. If the attack hits, the target suffers the attacks normal effects and has disadvantage on their first saving throw against the spell.

Dancing Knives

Prerequisite: Vivisectionist, level 5

You know the Cloud of Daggers spell. When you cast it, you can increase the area to a 10 ft. cube and the damage done by 2d4.

Surgeon's Barrage

Prerequisite: Vivisectionist, level 9

You know the conjure barrage spell. When you deal piercing or slashing damage with the spell, you can roll your surgical precision damage and add the result to the damage done. This counts as using your surgical precision feature for the turn.

Leaching Touch

Prerequisite: Vivisectionist, level 9

You know the vampiric touch spell. It deals an extra 1d6 necrotic damage.

Surgical Extraction

Prerequisite: Vivisectionist, level 11

When you hit a creature with a melee dagger attack, you can force that creature to make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. If they fail, the attack becomes a critical hit. If this damage kills the creature, you instantly remove its heart or some other similarly vital organ.

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

Master Surgeon

Prerequisite: Vivisectionist, level 13

Your surgical precision damage increases by 2d6.

* Denotes a new spell. See below for spell descriptions.