Science is Magic

This document assumes the DM and players use a modern, magic-free campaign style, which typically doesn't feature any magic, such as spells, magical creatures, and magic items. To reflect this, the Intelligence (Arcana) skill is replaced with the Intelligence (Science) skill.

Grounded Variant

At your Dungeon Master's option, you can use this variant to really drive home the deadly nature of a post-apocalyptic campaign. The method described here makes adventuring a significantly greater challenge. You can decide to fully implement this variant or only use parts of it.

The grounded variant uses the following rules which overwrite the core rules and mechanics:

Ability Scores: You determine your ability scores using the point-buy system, but you have 23 points to spend rather than 27 points.
Starting Equipment: Instead of taking the gear given to you by your class and background, you can purchase your starting equipment. You can spend an amount of dollars ($) equal to 4d4 x 20.
Armor Class: Characters are especially vulnerable without proper protective clothes. Without armor, your character's AC equals 8 + their Dexterity modifier. A shield can grant you a bonus to AC as normal.
Attack Roll: When an attack roll scores exactly equal to the target's AC, the target takes only half damage (before overcoming resistances and vulnerabilities).
Fear and Horror: The Fear and Horror optional rules are used during adventuring. See page 266 in the Dungeon Master's Guide for more information.
Healing: The Healer's Kit Dependency and Slow Natural Healing optional rules apply to rests. See page 266 & 267 in the Dungeon Master's Guide for more information.
Injuries: Damage normally leaves no lingering effects. This optional rule introduces the potential for long-term injuries.

When a creature drops to 0 hit points but isn't killed outright, it might sustain a lingering injury. The creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or roll on the Lingering Injuries table (see page 272 in the Dungeon Master's Guide). The DC equals 15 or half the damage taken, whichever number is higher.

Human Traits

Your human character has a number of traits in common with all other humans.

Ability Score Increase. One ability score of your choice increases by 1.

Age. Humans reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century.

Alignment. Humans tend toward no particular alignment. The best and the worst are found among them.

Size. Humans vary widely in height and build, from barely 5 feet to well over 6 feet tall. Regardless of your position in that range, your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Basic English and one extra common language of your choice.

Skilled. You gain proficiency in one skill and one set of artisan's tools of your choice.

Subrace. Three subraces of humans populate the world: cyborgs, mutants, and true humans. Choose one of these subraces.

Creating a Survivor

As you create your survivor character, consider the nature of the training that gave you your capabilities. Did you learn a profession as a professional soldier, doctor, or engineer? Did you develop yourself as an academic focusing on a particular specialization? Or perhaps you pursued a completely different path and devoted your life in service to a religion?

How did the cataclysmic events that brought about the end of civilization change your previous life? Did you lose family or a significant other to the apocalypse? Maybe you were directly involved in the events leading up to the global disaster or actively fighting against it in a last effort to prevent it? Perhaps you led a seemingly insignificant life, abruptly pulled out of your comfortable home, and thrust into a world filled with oppression and selfish beings.

Or maybe you made new friends, forced through circumstances or as a result of destiny. Someone who showed you new possibilities for staying alive in an inhospitable and unforgiving world. You wager that staying together as a group is safer than wandering off alone.

Collective Effort

Bonus Proficiencies

When you choose this tack at 1st level, you gain proficiency with medium armor, and you become proficient with three martial weapons of your choice. In addition, you gain proficiency in Strength saving throws.

Follow Up

When you take the Attack action and score a critical hit using a melee weapon, you can make one additional melee weapon attack as a bonus action on that turn.

Harry

Beginning when you choose this tack at 1st level, you can disrupt the combat effectiveness of an opponent. When you hit another creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 1 gambit point to attempt a harrying strike. The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or the next attack roll made against it before the start of your next turn has advantage, and it has disadvantage on all attack rolls until the end of your next turn.

Fighting Style

You gain access to the following additional fighting style options.

Favored Weapon

Beginning at 3rd level, you excel at fighting with one particular type of weapon. You choose a martial melee weapon you are proficient with as your favored weapon.

Once you have chosen the favored weapon, you can reroll the die when you roll a natural 1 or 2 on an attack roll using the favored weapon and must use the new roll. Your weapon attacks with the favored weapon score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20. In addition, you have advantage on ability checks and saving throws to avoid being disarmed of that weapon unless you are incapacitated.

Banner of Liberty

Starting at 3rd level, you can spend 3 gambit points as an action to plant a banner of liberty in your space on the ground. The banner grants several benefits, affecting allied creatures, including yourself, in a 30-foot radius. Affected creatures gain advantage on ability checks and saving throws against being grappled or restrained. In addition, attack rolls made by an affected creature gain a bonus equal to the number of other affected allies that aren’t incapacitated.

Any Small or larger creature can touch the banner as an action to capture it.

The banner effects end after 1 minute. The effects end early at the start of your turn if the banner is captured by another creature that isn't friendly to you or the banner isn't affecting any allied creature, including yourself.

A creature can only benefit from the effects of one banner at a time.

Exploit Weakness

At 7th level, you quickly recognize attack patterns and exploit inherent flaws in the attacker’s techniques to fend off future attacks. When a creature hits you with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 4 gambit points to impose disadvantage on all subsequent attack rolls that creature makes against you for 1 minute. In addition, you have advantage on all attack rolls against the creature using your favored weapon for the duration. You must be wielding your favored weapon to use this feature.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you choose this tack at 1st level, you gain proficiency in two additional skills of your choice, and you become proficient with one martial weapon of your choice. In addition, you gain proficiency in Dexterity saving throws.

Feather Steps

When you choose this tack at 1st level, you increase your base walking speed by 10 feet.

In addition, you can take the Hide action as a bonus action during the first round of combat.

Natural Selection

Beginning when you choose this tack at 1st level, you know how to attack subtly and exploit a foe’s distraction. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack while hidden from it, you can spend 1 gambit point to add an extra 1d6 damage of the weapon’s type to the damage roll. The attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon and the target must be at least 10 feet away from any of its allies.

When you reduce a hostile target to 0 hit points or score a critical hit with a weapon attack, you can reduce the cost of the next use of the Natural Selection feature before the end of your next turn. The reduction in gambit points can be any amount up to your proficiency bonus.

The amount of extra damage can be increased by spending more gambit points. For every additional gambit point you spend, you deal an extra 1d6 damage.

Fighting Style

You gain access to the following additional fighting style options.

Tracker's Companion

Starting at 3rd level, you gain an animal companion that accompanies you on your adventures and is trained to fight alongside you. Choose from dog, falcon, fox, owl or wolf (see appendix A for creature statistics).

The companion uses your proficiency bonus rather than its own. In addition to the statistics where it normally adds its proficiency bonus, an animal companion also adds its proficiency bonus to its AC and to its damage rolls. For each level you gain after 3rd level, your companion gains an additional hit die and increases its hit points accordingly. Like any creatures, it can spend Hit Dice during a short rest to regain hit points.

The companion obeys your commands as best as it can. It rolls for initiative like any other creature, but you determine its actions, decisions, attitudes, and so on. If you are incapacitated, or absent, your companion acts on its own.

If the companion dies, you can obtain a new companion by spending 8 hours bonding with an animal that isn’t hostile and meets the requirements.

Symbiotic Bond

While you are within 100 feet of your animal companion, you are linked to each other and share a special bond. While linked in this way, you can use a bonus action on your turn to spend 3 gambit points to strengthen your bond for 1 minute. For the duration of this strengthened bond, linked creatures gain the following benefits.

• They can communicate telepathically with each other.
• They both gain +1 bonus to AC and saving throws.
• When a linked creature hits a target with an attack, the other linked creature gains advantage on its next attack roll against the target before the end of its next turn.
• When a linked creature takes damage, the other linked creature can use its reaction to take the damage instead. This damage ignores any resistances, immunities, or vulnerabilities the new target may have.
• Whenever a linked creature ends its turn within 5 feet of the other linked creature, they both gain 5 temporary hit points for the duration of the strengthened bond.

The strengthened bond ends early if you aren't linked with your animal companion, if a linked creature dies, or if you use a bonus action to end the bond.

Bestial Mauling

Beginning at 7th level, you can neutralize any threat with the help of your companion. When your animal companion hits another creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 4 gambit points to make the attack more ferocious. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes an extra 3d10 damage of the weapon’s type and is paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage and isn’t paralyzed.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you choose this tack at 1st level, you gain proficiency with medium and heavy armor, and you become proficient with one martial weapon. In addition, you gain proficiency in Constitution saving throws.

Furthermore, you can use a shield as an exotic melee weapon. You are considered proficient with it. If you hit with it, you deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, and if the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. The save DC is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier.

Staunch

When you choose this tack at 1st level, each of your Hit Dice in this class become a d10 and you adjust your hit points accordingly. Whenever you gain a level in this class, rather than increasing your hit point maximum by 1d8 you increase your hit point maximum by 1d10 (or 6) instead.

In addition, while you are wielding a shield, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

Explosive Shield

Beginning when you choose this tack at 1st level, you can brace yourself for immediate threats by using your shield as a protective barrier. When you are wielding a shield, you can use your action to spend 1 gambit point to create a barrier that lasts until the end of your next turn. The barrier has a hit point maximum equal to 1d8 + your Constitution modifier. Whenever you take damage, the barrier takes the damage instead. The barrier is destroyed if it is reduced to 0 hit points, and any remaining damage is transferred to you. While the barrier is active, any speed you have becomes 0 and cannot be improved by any means.

If the barrier has any hit points remaining at the start of your next turn, you can use your action to detonate it. Each creature within 15 feet of you must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking fire damage equal to twice the barrier’s remaining hit points on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful save.

Fighting Style

You gain access to the following additional fighting style options.

Bastion of Fortitude

Starting at 3rd level, you become a bastion of fortitude, shrugging off injuries that would fell a lesser being. When you would make a death saving throw, you can spend an unspent Hit Die to forgo rolling the d20 and gain one successful death saving throw.

Furthermore, you can use an action to spend a number of Hit Dice up to half your level (rounded up). For each Hit Die spent this way, you regain hit points equal to 1 plus your Constitution modifier.

Earth Shatter

At 3rd level, you can strike the ground with such force that you create minor tremors and fractures in the ground. You can spend 3 gambit points as an action on your turn to shatter the ground in a 20-foot radius centered on yourself. The shattering force turns the ground in the area into difficult terrain for 1 minute.

Any creature in the area other than yourself when you use this feature must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 3d6 bludgeoning damage and is knocked prone. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and isn’t knocked prone.

United Stance

Starting at 7th level, you can throw yourself in between an attacking enemy and ally to absorb the blow. When a creature within 5 feet of you that you can see takes damage, you can use your reaction to spend 4 gambit points to deal the damage to yourself instead of the original target. You have resistance against all damage dealt to you this way. If the original target is a humanoid, it regains hit points equal to your Constitution modifier. You must not be subjected to the same effect that damages the other creature to use this feature.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you choose this tack at 1st level, you gain proficiency in three additional skills of your choice, and you become proficient with tinker’s tools. In addition, you gain proficiency in Intelligence saving throws.

Expert

When you choose this tack at 1st level, you can choose one of your skill proficiencies or your proficiency with tinker’s tools. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses the chosen proficiency.

Handy Gadgets

At 1st level, you gain access to one gadget from the options below, and immediately acquire it. You must attune to a gadget to benefit from its effects. Whenever you gain a survivor level, you may choose to replace the gadget you possess and take another gadget. The old gadget is destroyed, and you must craft the new one. If a gadget is damaged, you can repair it using tinker’s tools.

You can spend 1 gambit point to activate the upgrade property of your gadget. When you do, you resolve the effects as detailed in the upgrade property.

Mechanical Air System Surveillance (MASS) Drone. You gain the service of a MASS Drone (see appendix A for creature statistics), which acts as a mechanical familiar. The familiar follows the same rules as described in the find familiar spell and its creature type is Construct. You can use your bonus action on a following turn to either deactivate or reactivate the construct. Otherwise, the construct stays active until it is destroyed.

Upgrade — As an action, the construct gains the effects of the detect poison and disease spell for 10 minutes, requiring no concentration to maintain.

Multipurpose Tool Belt. You can choose four sets of artisan’s tools upon acquiring this belt, and you can replace one of these with thieves’ tools. While wearing this belt, you gain access to the chosen tools. In addition, you add half your proficiency bonus (rounded up) to any ability checks you make using the tools provided by your belt. If you are already proficient with a certain set of tools, you add your proficiency bonus as normal instead.

Upgrade — When you make an ability check using one of the tools provided by the belt, you gain advantage on the roll.

Power Boots. While wearing these boots, your jump distance and height are doubled, and you can use your Intelligence score and modifier instead of Strength to determine the distance and height you jump.

Upgrade — As an action, you activate your boot rockets to launch you into the sky. Each creature within 10 feet of you must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 7 (2d6) thunder damage. You can make a long or high jump that covers up to 60 feet.

Propulsion Gauntlets. While wearing these gauntlets, your unarmed strikes use your Intelligence modifier for the attack rolls and deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Intelligence modifier. In addition, you can use a bonus action on your turn to power up your gauntlets until the end of your turn. If you do, the reach of your next unarmed strike with these gauntlets is increased by 10 feet.

Upgrade — When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike using your gauntlets, you deal an additional 1d6 bludgeoning damage and if the target is a Large or smaller creature, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed 5 feet directly away from you and fall prone.

Night Vision Goggles. While wearing these goggles, you gain darkvision out to a range of 60 feet.

Upgrade — As a bonus action, the vision range is increased to 120 feet for 1 hour.

Fighting Style

You gain access to the following additional fighting style options.

Jumping Jacks

Starting at 3rd level, you learn to craft and deploy deadly traps called jumping jacks. You can craft jumping jacks during downtime. For every 2 hours of downtime, you can spend $20 worth of materials and make a DC 10 Intelligence check using tinker’s tools, creating a jumping jack on a success.

You can take the Use an Object action to place a jumping jack in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you. The trap uses your gambit save DC for any ability checks or saving throws. The trap has the following properties.

Trigger. Any creature that enters the space of the jumping jack activates it.

Countermeasures. A successful Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals the presence of the trap. A successful Dexterity check using thieves’ tools disables it, and a check that fails by 5 or more triggers the trap.

Battlesmith

Beginning at 3rd level, you gain the ability to improve and reinforce weapons, making them more effective. You can spend 3 gambit points to enhance one martial weapon that has the intricate property. You can complete the enhancement over the course of 10 minutes, and the weapon must be within your reach throughout the process. Until the end of your next long rest, you become proficient with the weapon and grant it a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls.

Superior Gadgets

Starting at 7th level, you unlock advanced technologies that allow you to activate more powerful abilities using your gadget. You can spend 4 gambit points to activate the major upgrade property of your gadget. When you do, you can choose from the following major upgrade options.

Mechanical Air System Surveillance (MASS) Drone.
Major Upgrade — You can use your action to make the construct fire a radioactive ray at a creature that it can see within 60 feet of it. The target must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 5d6 + 5 radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful save.

Multipurpose Tool Belt.
Major Upgrade — As an action, you can detach and activate a compact breathing device. For the next 2 hours, you can breathe underwater and you can’t suffocate while wearing the breathing device.

Power Boots.
Major Upgrade — As a bonus action, you hover 1 foot above the ground for 10 minutes. While hovering, you can float across liquid surfaces as well as avoid falling into pits or triggering mechanisms like pressure plates.

Propulsion Gauntlets.
Major Upgrade — As an action, you charge your gauntlets with incredible power. While wearing your gauntlets, you can ignore the cumbersome and heavy property of any weapon you wield. This effect lasts until you finish a long rest or fall unconscious, whichever happens first.

Night Vision Goggles.
Major Upgrade — As an action, you detect the presence of sentient creatures within 60 feet of you for 10 minutes. The detection can penetrate barriers, but 2 feet of rock, 2 inches of any metal other than lead, or a thin sheet of lead blocks you. You can’t detect a creature with an intelligence of 3 or lower.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you choose this tack at 1st level, you gain proficiency with medium armor, one martial weapon of your choice, and you become proficient with the herbalism or poisoner’s kit (your choice). In addition, you gain proficiency in Wisdom saving throws.

Hippocratic Oath

During a short or long rest, when you spend a Hit Die, you can forgo the roll and instead touch one willing beast or humanoid other than yourself. The target regains an amount of hit points equal to the maximum number the die can restore plus your Wisdom modifier. A creature can benefit from this feature only once per rest.

In addition, you can take the Help action as a bonus action on your turn.

Field Surgery

Beginning when you choose this tack at 1st level, you can employ your expertise as a surgeon to tend to the wounded. You can use your action to spend 1 gambit point to touch a willing creature. The creature regains a number of hit points equal to 1d6 + your Wisdom modifier.

The amount of regained hit points can be increased as you gain levels in this class. For every 2 additional gambit points you spend, you heal an extra 1d6 hit points.

Alternatively, you can spend 2 gambit points to end one condition afflicting the creature. The condition can be blinded, deafened, paralyzed, poisoned, or stunned.

Fighting Style

You gain access to the following additional fighting style options.

Pharmaceutics

Starting at 3rd level, you learn to combine chemicals into potent medicines and deadly poisons. You can craft medicines during downtime. For every 2 hours of downtime, you can spend $40 worth of materials and make a DC 12 Wisdom check using a herbalism kit, creating a potion of healing on a success, and a tainted potion of healing (1d4 + 1 hit points) on a failure.

Alternatively, you can craft a basic poison during downtime. For every 2 hours of downtime, you can spend $40 worth of materials and make a DC 12 Wisdom check using a poisoner’s kit, creating a vial of potent poison (2d4 poison damage) on a success, or a vial of basic poison on a failure.

First Aid

Beginning at 3rd level, you can provide immediate assistance to any creature suffering from serious injuries. When you stabilize a dying beast or humanoid with a successful Wisdom (Medicine) check, you can spend 3 gambit points to perform first aid. The creature regains hit points equal to the scored result of your Wisdom (Medicine) check and an equal amount of temporary hit points that last for 1 minute. In addition, the creature removes any wounds it suffers from.

Parasitic Mutation

At 7th level, you learn to concoct a virus of mutated parasites that can grant its host new physical abilities. You can use your action on your turn to spend 4 gambit points to alter a potion or poison you are holding with a parasitic mutation. When the altered potion or poison is administered to a beast or humanoid, it is exposed to unnatural mutation in addition to any other effects.

When a creature is exposed to unnatural mutation, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 5 (1d10) poison damage. Whether the save is a success or failure, the creature gains a new racial ability, determined by rolling on the Unnatural Mutation table. A creature can benefit from only one unnatural mutation at a time.

The creature’s body keeps fighting the unnatural mutation. At the end of each long rest, a mutated creature must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a successful save, the creature keeps its racial ability granted by the unnatural mutation and the DC for this save increases by 1d4. On a failed save, the creature loses its racial ability granted by the unnatural mutation and takes 5 (1d10) poison damage.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you choose this tack at 1st level, you gain proficiency in one additional exotic language and two additional skills of your choice, and you become proficient with two instruments of your choice. In addition, you gain proficiency in Charisma saving throws.

Divine Will

You can use Charisma instead of Strength for the attack rolls and damage rolls of your melee attacks using simple weapons.

In addition, while you have less than half of your total hit points remaining, you have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened.

Pious Fury

Beginning when you choose this tack at 1st level, you can attack in a frenzied state of fanatic devotion. You can spend 1 gambit point as a bonus action on your turn to gain one Pious Fury die, a d4. For the next minute, when you hit a creature with a melee attack using a simple weapon or unarmed strikes, you can add the die to the attack’s damage roll.

When your turn ends and you damaged a hostile creature during that turn, you increase the Pious Fury die size by one stage (to a d6, d8, etc.) up to a d12. When your turn ends and you haven’t damaged a hostile creature during that turn, the die size reverts back to a d4.

You can only benefit from one Pious Fury die at a time.

Fighting Style

You gain access to the following additional fighting style options.

Languages

Your origin indicates the modern languages your character can speak by default, and your background might give you access to one or more additional languages of your choice. Note these languages on your character sheet.

These languages are divided into two categories: common languages and exotic languages. Choose your languages from the appropriate category table. With your DM’s permission, you can replace one of these languages with another language of the same category.

Each playable character is considered to know Basic English, which allows that character to communicate simple ideas with any creature that knows Basic English.

Artist

You are gifted with great talent and imagination, skilled in a particular field of arts and closely associated with other artists. You have spent countless days, or years, perfecting your techniques to craft a true masterpiece. Life’s journey is full of experiences and discoveries that will ultimately turn you into a master artist.

Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Persuasion
Tool Proficiencies: Two types of artisan’s tools
Equipment: A set of artisan’s tools (one of your choice), a notebook and 2 pencils. In addition, you have $15 that you can spend purchasing equipment of your choice. Choose your gear from the Adventuring Gear table.
Background Perk: Inventive

Competitive

If you participate in a contested skill check and you don’t roll the highest result, you can roll a d4 and add the die to the result, possibly winning the contest.

Glamorous

When you make a Charisma check to interact with friendly or indifferent creatures, you can add your proficiency bonus if it doesn’t already apply to the check.

Swindler

During downtime activities that involve gambling games using a gaming set you are proficient with, you gain advantage on any Charisma (Deception) check or Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check.

Faithful

When you take the Help action on your turn, you can choose a friendly creature within 5 feet of you that isn’t incapacitated or yourself. The chosen creature gains temporary hit points equal to twice your proficiency bonus until the start of your next turn.

Inspirational

You can gain up to two uses of inspiration instead of only one use. In addition, you can spend inspiration to recover a number of gambit points up to your proficiency bonus.

Sample

You can take an action to touch a creature affected by a poison or disease. You identify one poison or disease affecting it.

Sea Lungs

The number of minutes you can hold your breath is doubled.

Researcher

During downtime activities that involve conducting research on a manual, the time required to gain its benefits is halved.

Veteran

You gain proficiency in one martial weapon of your choice.

Wanderer

When you take the Disengage action on your turn, you add your proficiency bonus to your AC against the first attack targeting you before the start of your next turn.

Armor and Shields Properties

The Armor table collects the most commonly available types of armor found in the setting and separates them into three categories: light armor, medium armor, and heavy armor. Many types of armor have special properties related to their use, as shown in the Armor table.

Armor Proficiency. Anyone can put on a suit of armor or strap a shield to an arm. Only those proficient in the armor's use know how to wear it effectively, however. Your class gives you proficiency with certain types of armor. If you wear armor that you lack proficiency with, you have disadvantage on any ability check, saving throw, or attack roll that involves Strength or Dexterity, and you can't use Gambit features.

Armor Class (AC). Armor protects its wearer from attacks. The armor (and shield) you wear determines your base Armor Class.

Bulletproof. While wearing bulletproof armor, you reduce piercing damage dealt to you with firearms by an amount equal to the listed value in parentheses.

Camouflage. While wearing camouflage armor, you have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.

Heavy. Heavier armor interferes with the wearer's ability to move quickly, stealthily, and freely. While wearing armor with the heavy property, your speed is reduced by 10 feet unless your Strength score is equal to or higher than the score listed in parentheses.

Restricting. While wearing restricting armor, you have disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.

Shields. Wielding a shield increases your Armor Class by the listed value. You can benefit from only one shield at a time.

Two-Handed. This type of shield requires two hands to wield.

Special Weapons

Weapons with special properties are described here.

Boomerang. After you make an attack with a boomerang, it returns to the thrower’s hand.

Flare gun. If you fire a flare gun in the air, the shell bursts in a brightly colored flame that can be seen for up to 25 miles away, depending on surrounding terrain and weather.

Pepper Spray. When you hit a creature with pepper spray, it must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be blinded for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the condition on a successful save.

Stun Prod. When you hit a creature with a stun prod, it must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the start of your next turn. Constructs have disadvantage on the saving throw.

Taser Gun. When you hit a creature with a taser gun, it must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the condition on a successful save.

Dog

Small beast, unaligned

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• Armor Class 12
• Hit Points 9 (2d6 + 2)
• Speed 40 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
10 (+0)	15 (+2)	12 (+1)	3 (-4)	12 (+1)	6 (-2)

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• Skills Perception +3
• Senses passive Perception 13
• Languages —
• Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

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Keen Hearing and Smell. The dog has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.

Pack Tactics. The dog has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the dog's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (2d4) piercing damage and if the target is a creature, it is grappled (escape DC 11). The dog can use its action to deal 5 (2d4) piercing damage to a grappled target.

Falcon

Tiny beast, unaligned

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• Armor Class 14
• Hit Points 7 (3d4)
• Speed 10 ft., fly 60 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
6 (-2)	18 (+4)	10 (+0)	2 (-4)	14 (+2)	6 (-2)

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• Skills Perception +4
• Senses passive Perception 14
• Languages —
• Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

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Keen Sight. The falcon has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Actions

Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) slashing damage.

Fox

Tiny beast, unaligned

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• Armor Class 13
• Hit Points 10 (4d4)
• Speed 30 ft., burrow 10 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
5 (-3)	16 (+3)	11 (+0)	3 (-4)	12 (+1)	6 (-2)

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• Skills Perception +3, Stealth +5
• Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
• Languages —
• Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

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Cunning. The fox can take the Disengage or Dodge action as a bonus action on its turn.

Keen Hearing. The fox has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage.