The Protagonist: An Anime Inspired Class
Protagonist Features
| Level | Prof Bonus | Features | Secret Techniques Known | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Sense Energy, Signature Move | — | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Secret Techniques | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | Protagonist's Way, Hyper Form | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | ASI or Feat | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack, Charge Energy (1d4) | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | Protagonist's Way | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | Iron Willpower (1d6) | 4 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | ASI or Feat | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | Spirit-Powered Leap | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | Protagonist's Way | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | Iron Willpower (1d8), Charge Energy (1d6) | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | ASI or Feat | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | Seismic Damage | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 14th | +5 | Protagonist's Way | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 15th | +5 | Iron Willpower (1d10) | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 16th | +5 | ASI or Feat | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | +6 | Armor of Spirit | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | Iron Willpower (1d12) | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | ASI or Feat | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20th | +6 | Hyper Form Adept | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Class Features
As a Protagonist, you gain the following class features
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d10 per Protagonist level
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Con
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 + Con
Proficiencies
- Armor: Light, Medium Armor, Shields
- Weapons: Martial, Simple Weapons
- Tools: none
- Saving Throws: Cha, Dex
- Skills: Choose two from animal handling, persuasion, performance, insight, perception, stealth, athletics, acrobatics, nature, and survival
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) Scale Mail or (b) Leather Armor
- (a) Martial/Simple Weapon and Shield or (b) two Martial/Simple Weapons
- (a) Shortbow with 20 arrows or (b) two Hand Axes
- (a) Dungeoneer's Pack or (b) an Explorer's Pack
Spellcasting
Spellcasting is detailed in the Players Hand Book. Your spellcasting ability mod is Cha, and you do not learn spells through leveling.
Sense Energy
You can sense the life energy of other creatures.
At 1st level, you can use an action to detect the distance and direction to living things within 1 mile of you, or of one creature or creature type with which you are familiar, until the end of your next turn. You also learn their numbers.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Cha mod + 1, and regain all expended uses after a long rest. This trait fails if your target is within 60ft of you, or if it is a construct or undead.
Signature Move
You have learned to wield your spirit energy in a unique and personal way.
At 1st level, you can use your action to spend a spell slot and deal 1d8 + 1d8 per spell slot level + Cha force damage in an area originating from you.
Creatures in this area make dex saves against your spell save DC, taking half damage on a success, or full damage and falling prone on a fail. This attack deals double damage to objects and structures.
Your signature move can take one of the following forms, which you select when you gain this feature (it cannot be changed):
- Spirit Beam: 60ft long, 5ft wide beam. At 11th level: 120ft long, 10ft wide beam.
- Spirit Cannon: 15ft radius sphere centered on a point within 60ft. At 11th level: 20ft radius sphere centered on a point within 120ft.
- Spirit Wave 20ft cone. At 11th level: 60ft cone.
Secret Techniques
Through studying other warriors, training, or innate skill, you have learned a number of secret techniques: abilities learned through practice that imbue you with magical power.
At 2nd level, you gain two Secret Techniques of your choice. A list of the available options is detailed at the end of this document. When you gain certain Protagonist levels, you gain additional Techniques of your choice.
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.
A level prerequisite in a technique refers to Protagonist level, not character level.
Protagonist's Way
At 3rd level, you choose your Protagonist's Way: a path that shapes your skill and resolve from the list of available Ways. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels.
Hyper Form
You have learned to harness your latent spirit energy to go beyond your limits.
At 3rd level, you can spend a spell slot of 1st level or higher to enter your hyper form as a bonus action. While in Hyper Form, you gain the following benefits:
- Advantage on str and dex checks and saves
- Your movement speed increases by 10 feet
- You can jump half your movement speed in any direction without a running start
- You shed dim light out to 10ft around you
Your movement speed increases by 5ft for each spell slot level above 1st. These changes last for 1 minute, or until you fall unconscious.
Extra Attack
At 5th level, you can attack twice when you take the attack action.
Charge Energy
You have learned to gather spirit energy to restore your magic.
At 5th level, you can spend a short rest in an intense meditation. During this time, you cannot do other activities. After you complete the short rest, you can roll 1d4+1, and regain that number of spell levels.
Example: if you roll 3, you can regain one 3rd level spell slot, one 2nd and 1st level spell slot, or three 1st level spell slots.
Once you use this feat, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest. At 11th level, you regain 1d6+1 spell levels instead.
Iron Willpower
Your stubbornness can prevent you from failing in a pinch.
At 7th level, the first time you fail a saving throw, you can spend a spell slot of 1st level or higher to roll 1d6 and add it to the result, potentially turning it into a success.
The die becomes 1d8 at 11th level, 1d10 at 15th level, and 1d12 at 18th level.
Spirit-Powered Leap
At 9th level, you have learned to channel your spirit energy to enhance your mobility in the following ways.
-
Your movement speed, as well as the distance you can jump in any direction increase by 10ft.
-
You no longer take damage from a fall, and falling no longer knocks you prone.
Seismic Damage
At 13th level, your attacks become devastating to the area around you.
You deal double damage to objects and structures with your attacks.
Note: Your Signature Move already deals siege damage, so with this feat the damage becomes x4.
Armor of Spirit
At 17th level, your spirit energy is so intense that it shields you from harm.
While in Hyper Form, you have resistance to Bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
Hyper Form Adept
At 20th level, you are so accustomed to your Hyper Form that it no longer taxes your body.
You can enter your Hyper Form without spending a spell slot. When you do, it is treated as if you had spent a first level spell slot.
Protagonist Ways: Protagonist Subclass Options
Orphaned Adventurer
As an orphaned adventurer, you don't use weapons. You prefer to strike in a flurry of punches and kicks.
Martial Might
At 3rd level, you are adept at unarmed combat. You are proficient in unarmed strikes, which deal 1d6 bludgeoning damage, and can use ether dex or str for attack/damage rolls.
Also, you can make one unarmed strike, or special melee attack, as a bonus action on each of your turns.
At 11th level, your unarmed strikes deal 1d8 bludgeoning instead.
Top of The Food Chain
You have spent a long time alone in the wilderness.
Also at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in two of the nature, survival, or animal handling skills. If you already had proficiency in them, you gain expertise in that skill instead.
Heavy Spirit Energy
While in Hyper Form, your spirit energy fuels your attacks.
At 6th level, Your attacks become magical for overcoming resistances/immunities, and have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls, if they didn't already.
Relentless Persistence
At 10th level, you have become accustomed to danger.
You can enter your hyper form as a reaction to stop yourself from being surprised.
Additionally, you can enter hyper form when you make a death saving throw to spring back to your feet with a 3rd of your HP.
You can use these reactions each once per day, and must complete a long rest before using them again.
Hyperactive
At 14th level, your reflexes are so fast that other creatures find it impossible to slip away from you.
Attacks of opportunity no longer take up your reaction, and other creatures always provoke attacks of opportunity when they try to leave your reach. (You ignore the disengage action, as well as other, similar effects.)
Isekai Knight
As an Isekai Knight, you were sent here from another world, your only compensation being a magic weapon.
Soul Cutter
In your empty hand, you can conjure a Soul Cutter: a weapon made from your own spirit energy which reflects your personality and beliefs.
At 3rd level, you can spend 1 hour performing a ritual to create your Soul Cutter. It appears as a weapon of your choice within 5 feet of you. You can change the type of weapon you conjure each time you perform the ritual.
As a bonus action, you can summon your Soul Cutter to your hand, or store it in a demiplane. Its damage counts as magical for overcoming resistances/immunities.
Combat Training
Also at 3rd level, you are proficient with heavy armor, and learn 1 fighting style from the list of options presented to the fighter.
Soul Cutter Full Release
At 6th level, your Soul Cutter reacts to your energy.
While you are in Hyper Form, weapon attacks with your Soul Cutter have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls. This bonus increases by 1 for every two spell slot levels above first.
Example: If you enter Hyper Form with a 2nd level spell slot the bonus will be unchanged, but if you spend a 3rd level spell slot, the bonus will become +2.
Sword Zen
You have learned to harmonize with the spirit energy of your Soul Cutter in combat.
At 10th level, your Soul Cutter gains the light and thrown properties (60/120), and loses the heavy and two-handed properties, if it had them. When you throw it, it immediately returns to your hand after the attack (no action required).
Versatile Fighter
Also at 10th level, you learn one more fighting style from the list presented to the fighter.
Anti-Magic Blade
At 14th level, the spirit energy contained in your Soul Cutter is so dense that it interferes with magic around it.
If you can perceive the effects of a spell, you can use your Soul Cutter to contest an attack roll against its spell save DC. On a success, roll damage for the attack, and the caster must make a concentration save against the damage you inflict. If the spell does not require concentration, they must make the check regardless, and the spell is lost on a fail.
After you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a short/long rest, unless you expend a spell slot of 3rd level or higher.
Magical Girl
As a magical girl, you can tap into your spirit energy to fuel spellcasting.
Crystal Brooch
At 3rd level, you learn the ritual that creates magical girls.
You can conduct a 1 hour ritual to create your Crystal Brooch, which appears as an ornate, usually heart-shaped jewel. You can use this brooch as a focus for your spellcasting. If you create a new one, the previous one is destroyed.
The Crystal Brooch also gives you some benefits when you enter Hyper Form:
-
Maho Robes: Your clothing weaves itself into a new form. While in this state, you maintain the benefits of any armor you were wearing, which gains a +1 bonus.
-
Maho Blade: You can conjure a weapon in your empty hand. The weapon takes on an appearance of your choice, and its damage is ether radiant or necrotic (chosen when you enter Hyper Form). You can use the weapon as a spellcasting focus.
These changes last until your Hyper Form ends.
Spellcasting
Also at 3rd level, you learn 2 cantrips and 3 first level spells from the cleric spell list.
These spells count as Protagonist spells for you, and you can cast them by expending Protagonist spell slots. Cha is your spellcasting ability mod.
In addition, whenever you gain a level in this class, you learn 1 more cleric spell of a level for which you have spell slots.
You can cast these spells as rituals if they have the ritual tag.
At 11th level, you learn 2 more cantrips of your choice from the cleric spell list.
Improved Maho Blade
At 6th level, your Maho Blade empowers your magic.
While using your Maho Blade as a spellcasting focus, you add an extra 1d6 to any spell you cast which deals damage or restores HP.
The die increases to 1d8 at 11th level, and 1d10 at 15th level.
Winged Maho Robes
At 10th level, your maho robes weave into wings.
While in Hyper Form, you gain a fly speed equal to your movement speed.
Miracle Heart
At 14th level, you've learned how to put all your hopes and dreams into one wish.
As an action while in your Hyper Form, you can speak your desire, requesting the effect of one spell that is 6th level or lower. The spell can be from any class's spell list, and you don't need to meet the requirements in that spell, including costly components; the spell simply takes effect as part of this action.
Once you use this feat, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest. After using this feat, you cannot move or take actions/reactions until next turn, as a wave of lethargy hits you, and your Hyper Form ends.
Spirit User
As a spirit user, you project your spirit energy to fight for you.
Fighting Spirit
At 3rd level, you can create a fighting spirit: a visual manifestation of your spirit energy, as a bonus action.
Your fighting spirit presents itself as a figure hovering over or near you. It is considered a martial weapon with a 10ft reach that deals 1d6 force damage on a hit.
Your fighting spirit takes on an appearance of your choice, but maintains your bodies basic shape and arrangement of limbs. It is capable of manipulating fine objects out to a range of 10ft around you. Anything that can be done with your hands can be done with the fighting spirit, though it cannot wield weapons or a shield.
The spirit uses your cha to make attack and damage rolls, as well as str and sleight of hand checks, and does not occupy its space. At 11th level, its reach and range become 15ft.
Lightning Reflexes
Also at 3rd level, While you are manifesting your Fighting Spirit, you can take the use an object action as a bonus action on each of your turns.
Gattling Fist
At 6th level, your fighting spirit can rapidly chain punches together in the blink of an eye.
While in Hyper Form, instead of taking the attack action, you can roll 1d4. The result is the number of weapon attacks you can make with the fighting spirit this turn.
If you use this feat, you must make the number of attacks rolled on the die, and cannot default to your extra attack feat. You can use this feat only 1/turn.
Ethereal Fighting Spirit
At 10th level, your fighting spirit gains the properties of an actual spirit.
Your fighting spirit can pass through solid objects as if it were on the ethereal plane. You can select what objects it treats as solid or not, and this trait passes over to anything it is wearing or carrying.
Example: You can cause your fighting spirits hand to pass through the lid of a box, and pull its contents through the top.
Your fighting spirit cannot pass through walls of force or other creatures. This trait doesn't work on creatures, or objects being worn or carried by them.
ORAORAORAORA
At 14th level, your gattling fist improves.
When using your gattling fist trait, you can roll 1d4+1 to determine how many attack rolls you can make this turn.
Secret Techniques - Custom Feature Options
+A Student
You gain 2 skill proficiencies of your choice, also you can double your proficiency bonus for one skill you are proficient with.
At 11th level, you can double your proficiency bonus for one more skill you are proficient with.
Energy Attunement
You can walk on, and cling to, walls and ceilings without having to make a check.
At 11th level, you can walk on liquid surfaces as if they were solid.
Blinkstep
You can dash as a bonus action on each of your turns. When you do, you do not provoke attacks of opportunity during the move.
Energy Volley
You have learned to condense your spirit energy into explosive spheres.
You can make a new kind of special attack (treated as special melee attack). It is a ranged spell attack with a range of 60ft. They deal 1d8 + Cha force damage on a hit.
At 11th level, they deal 1d10 + Cha force damage.
Shadow Clone
You can expend a spell slot to create an illusory duplicate of yourself as an action. It appears within 30ft of you, can move 30ft, and you can speak from its position (no action required). It lasts for 10 minutes.
Physical interaction reveals it to be fake, as does a successful investigation check against your spell save DC. If revealed to be fake, it disappears in a poof of smoke.
For each spell level above first, you create one more duplicate. You can also use this feat 1/rest at its lowest level without expending a spell slot.
Weighted Training Gear
While not wearing armor or a shirt, your carrying capacity is doubled (as in the powerful build feat), and you gain a climb and swim speed equal to your movement speed.
Monster Companion
You learn the find familiar spell. It counts as a Protagonist spell for you, and you can cast it as a ritual.
Familiars summoned in this way have an int score of 8(-1). They know all the languages you do, and can speak. They also appear as a strange and flamboyant color.
Inner Outsider
You have a creature from the outer planes sealed inside you.
Choose one of celestial, fiend, or aberration. You gain traits based on the beast within.
- Celestial: You resist radient and necrotic damage
- Fiend: You resist poison and fire damage
- Aberration: You resist psychic and force damage
Thick-Headed
Your incredible density helps you resist manipulative effects.
You have advantage on saves against being charmed or frightened.
Deflect Attack
You have learned to deflect incoming projectiles using your spirit energy.
When you are hit by a ranged attack, or a ranged spell attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the incoming damage by 1d10 + Cha.
At 11th level, you can reduce incoming projectile damage by 2d10 + Cha.
Determination
Your willpower propels you through danger.
If you are not wearing armor or using a shield, your AC is 10 + dex + cha.
Transformation
You can use your spirit energy to alter your appearance.
As an action, you can polymorph into an object of small or medium size for 10 minutes. While in this state, you cannot move, speak, or take actions, and you are aware of your surroundings (you maintain your senses).
You can end this effect on yourself as a bonus action. Once you use this feat, you must finish a short/long rest before doing so again, unless you spend a spell slot of 1st level or higher.
Pinwheel Eye
You have darkvision out to 60ft, and can cast detect magic at will, without expending a spell slot.
Warp Signature Move
Prerequisite: Level 6
When you expend a spell slot to use your signature move, you can teleport 60ft before/after you fire it.
Magic Consumption
Prerequisite: Level 6
You can inhale and ingest magic as if it were edible.
When you are dealt damage from one of fire, cold, lightning, acid, poison, or thunder, you can use your reaction to negate the incoming damage, and instead regain hit points equal to half the damage you would have taken.
Once you use this feat, you cannot do so again until you finish a short/long rest.
Dragonic Style
Prerequisite: Level 6
When you select this feat, choose one of fire, cold, acid, poison, or lightning. When you use your signature move, it can be ether force or your chosen damage type. You also resist it, and deal 1d6 damage of it the first time you hit a creature with a weapon attack on your turn.
At 11th level, the extra damage you deal increases to 1d8
One Thousand Birds
Prerequisite: Level 6
You learn the shocking grasp and inflict wounds spells.
You can cast inflict wounds using your Protagonist spell slots, and its damage type is lightning, additionally, you can cast shocking grasp as a bonus action after taking the attack action.
You can also cast inflict wounds without a spell slot 1/short rest. When you do, it is cast at the highest spell slot level you are capable of producing.
Spirit Pressure
Prerequisite: Level 6
Your power level is so high that it weighs heavily on other creatures.
As a bonus action, you can cause the area within 20ft of you to feel extremely heavy. Other creatures treat this area as rough terrain, and have disadvantage on strength checks. If a flying creature starts its turn in the area, it falls.
You can use this feature once per short/long rest.
One Thousand Cherry Blossoms
Prerequisite: Level 6
Once per short rest, you can scatter the material of a melee weapon you are holding into shimmering shrapnel (bonus action).
While in this form, the weapon is a medium sized cloud of dust which can fit through spaces as small as an inch and occupy other creatures spaces. The cloud has a fly speed of 30ft (hover), which you can move on your turn (no action required). You can make attacks with the weapon from the clouds space.
You can reassemble the weapon as a bonus action. The handle stays in your hand (it is treated as though you are still holding the weapon), and the cloud cannot be more than 30ft away from you.
If you are not holding the handle, or you are more than 30ft away from the cloud, it disappears and the weapon reassembles.
Swift Charge
Prerequisite: Level 6
You have come up with a way to mix your signature move into your fighting style.
If you have not already used your signature move this turn, you may do so as a bonus action.
After Image
Prerequisite: Level 6
You can rapidly change the pacing of your steps to create an illusory duplicate of yourself.
If you are targeted by an attack you can see, or find yourself in the area of a spell or damaging effect you can see, you can use your reaction to teleport 60ft.
When you do, an illusory duplicate of yourself appears to suffer the effects of whatever you dodged. If you did not teleport into another creatures line of sight, you are considered hidden, and can make a stealth check.
Once you use this feat, you must finish a short/long rest before using it again.
Armament Energy
Prerequisite: Level 6
You can turn your skin black as iron with spirit energy to augment your attack and defense.
While in Hyper Form, you take less damage, and deal more damage with your attacks and spells. The amount you deal and resist is equal to the spell slot level you used to enter Hyper Form.
(Example: With a 3rd level spell slot, you deal 3 extra damage, and take 3 less points of damage when injured.)
Nakama Blast
Prerequisite: Level 10
You have learned to harness the power of your friends to fuel your ultimate attack.
When you use your signature move, you can choose to hold onto it until your next turn. If you do, you cannot move or use any other kind actions this turn, and you must concentrate on it (as if concentrating on a spell).
While concentrating like this, other creatures within 120ft of you can use a bonus action to expend a spell slot and add 1d8 + 1d8 per slot level damage to your signature move. If 2 or more spell slots are spent (besides yours), creatures in the area of your signature move have disadvantage against its saving throw.
Kaleidoscope Eye
Prerequisite: Level 10
Your iris' develop a wondrous pattern. You have darkvision out to 120ft, and can copy the spellcasting of other creatures.
As a reaction, when you are targeted by a spell, or find yourself in the area of a spell and have spell slots of that spells level, you can expend one to cast that spell, targeting or centered on the original caster.
The spell counts as a Protagonist spell for you in that moment, and you cannot upcast it. You must be able to see the caster to use this feat.
Hyper Charged
Prerequisite: Level 10
Your aura exudes crackling bolts of electricity.
While in Hyper Form, a creature that hits you with an attack while within 5ft of you takes cha mod lightning damage.
Feral Hyper Form
Prerequisite: Level 10
There is a darkness in you that reveals itself in moments of desperation.
While in Hyper Form, if you have a 3rd of your hit points or less, you fall under the effects of the haste and enemies abound spells. You also lose the ability to speak, and the damage type of your signature move becomes necrotic.
These changes last for the duration of your Hyper Form. If you pass the save on enemies abound, your Hyper Form ends.
Dragon Meteor Fist
Prerequisite: Level 10
You have learned a new way to pull off your signature move.
When you expend a spell slot to use your signature move, you can instead make a melee weapon attack to inflict the same damage on a single target.
If you hit, the target suffers the effects of your signature move on top of the weapon damage.
Power of Kings
Prerequisite: Level 10
You can manipulate the spirit energy of others by looking into their eyes.
You can cast Geas once with this trait.
Once you do, you must finish a long rest before doing so again.
Rapid Hyper Form
Prerequisite: Level 14
While in your Hyper Form, you gain a fly speed equal to your movement speed.
Equivalent Exchange
Prerequisite: Level 18
You learn the fabricate spell, and can cast it with Protagonist spell slots. You can also cast this spell without expending a spell slot once per short rest.
Conceal Power Level
Prerequisite: Level 18
You have learned to suppress your spirit energy to prevent detection.
You can take an action to suppress your spirit energy, making you immune to any effect that would sense your emotions, read your thoughts, and divination spells.
If you attack or cast a spell, or if 10 minutes go by this effect ends.
All-Seeing White Eye
Prerequisite: Level 18
You can focus your spirit energy to let your vision penetrate almost any object.
As a bonus action, you gain the ability to see through solid objects to a range of 30 feet. This special sight lasts for 1 minute or until your concentration ends (as if you were concentrating on a spell). During that time, you perceive objects as grainy, white images.
Also, while using this special vision, you can see through your opponents, giving you insight into their weaknesses. You crit on a 19 or 20 while this feat persists.
Once you use this feat, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
The World
Prerequisite: Level 18
You can use your spirit energy to temporarily stop the flow of time.
You can cast time stop once with this feat.
Once you use this feat, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest. The spell counts as a Protagonist spell for you.
Seismic Charge
Prerequisite: Level 18
Your power level is so high that it shakes the very earth beneath you.
You can cast earthquake once with this feat. When you do, you must be in its area of effect for the duration. While in the area of the spell, you are immune to its effects.
Once you use this feat, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest. The spell counts as a Protagonist spell for you.