Dungeon Class
Dungeons. Places full of treasure, just waiting for brave adventurers to plunder. Dangerous, yes, but passive. Static. So long as no-one messes with them, they can be safely ignored. Right?
Wrong.
Far greater than any dank cellar or crude cavern, true dungeons are nightmarish deathtraps, possessing a kind of will and intelligence of their own. While incomparable to the mind of any living creature, their greed and malice are felt all too clearly by those foolish enough to enter. All manner of horrors can found within their depths, bound in service to the dungeon.
Sometimes, even people.
Maybe you were an adventurer, once. Then one unlucky dungeon crawl left you lost, alone, in the darkness. You emerged eventually, but were forever changed. Or perhaps you were a sacrifice, given to the dungeon to placate its hunger. Or maybe you never had a life before - the dungeon willed you into existence whole cloth.
Whatever your origin, you are now an appendage of your patron dungeon. And just as the arm knows not why the mind sends it forth, you too have been sent out into the world with no clear goal. Whether you serve your dungeon willingly, struggle against it, or try to profit from it, one thing is certain: wherever you go, you spread your dungeon's influence.
Dungeon, by AndrejZT
https://www.deviantart.com/andrejzt/art/Dungeon-894017659
The Dungeon
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Zone Range | Aspects |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +2 | Manifestation | 10 | - |
| 2 | +2 | Bump in the Dark | 10 | - |
| 3 | +2 | Dungeon Mythos | 10 | - |
| 4 | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 10 | - |
| 5 | +3 | Dungeon Aspect | 15 | 3 |
| 6 | +3 | Mythos Feature | 15 | 4 |
| 7 | +3 | Abyssal Lore | 15 | 4 |
| 8 | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 15 | 4 |
| 9 | +4 | Death Trap | 20 | 5 |
| 10 | +4 | Mythos Feature | 20 | 5 |
| 11 | +4 | Enfeebling Aura | 20 | 5 |
| 12 | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 20 | 5 |
| 13 | +5 | Perfect Adaption | 25 | 6 |
| 14 | +5 | Mythos Feature | 25 | 6 |
| 15 | +5 | Dungeon Master | 25 | 6 |
| 16 | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 25 | 6 |
| 17 | +6 | Inured to Horror | 30 | 7 |
| 18 | +6 | Death Course | 30 | 7 |
| 19 | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 30 | 7 |
| 20 | +6 | Manifestation Unbound | 30 | 7 |
Class Features
As a dungeon, you gain the following class features
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d10 per dungeon level
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per dungeon level after 1st
Proficiencies
- Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields
- Weapons: Simple melee weapons, martial melee weapons
- Languages: One exotic language
- Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
- Skills: Choose two from of History, Intimidation, Investigation, Religion, Stealth, 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) a morningstar or (b) any martial melee wepaon
- (a) a shield or (b) any simple melee weapon
- A dungeoneer's pack and three thrown weapons
Spellcasting Ability
Same dungeon class features require you to make a spell attack roll, or for the target to make a saving throw. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for your dungeon spell attack rolls. In addition, you use your Constitution modifier when setting the saving throw DC.
Dungeon save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier
Manifestation
The essence of your dungeon radiates out from you, slowly seeping into your environment. As a bonus action you can accelerate this, producing mold, rot, and ruin in a 10 foot radius around you.
This area is your manifestation zone. Hostile creatures treat your zone as difficult terrain. Your zone moves with you, remaining centered on you at all times. The size of your zone increases as you gain dungeon levels, as shown in the Zone Range column of the Dungeon table.
Your manifestation lasts for 1 minute, until you use this ability again, or until you end it as an action.
Bump in the Dark
Starting at 2nd level, your dungeon is full of vicious things hiding in the shadows, ready to pounce on unwary intruders. You can use your bonus action to attempt to shove a creature within 5 feet of you. You count as proficient in Athletics when you do so.
When you use this ability while your manifestation is active, you may choose to count as anywhere within your zone for the purposes of determining who is in range and the direction of your shove.
Expansive Ruin, by KoTnoneKoT
https://www.deviantart.com/kotnonekot/art/Expansive-Ruins-525785811
Dungeon Mythos
At 3rd level, you choose which kind of Dungeon Mythos best describes your dungeon. Choose one of the Mythos detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th 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.
Dungeon Aspect
At 5th level, you gain the ability to conjure specific aspects your dungeon around you. You learn three dungeon aspects of your choice. Your aspect options are detailed at the end of the class description.
Whenever you use your Manifestation ability, you may apply the effects of one aspect you know. These last until the manifestation ends. After using this ability three times, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
You learn additional aspects and gain additional uses of this ability as you gain dungeon levels, as shown in the Aspects column in the Dungeon table. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can replace one aspect you know with another that you could learn at that level.
Abyssal Lore
At 7th level, choose 2 skills. These must be from the dungeon class skill list, or associated with your dungeon mythos (below). You gain proficiency in these skills. If you are already proficient with either skill, you instead add twice your proficiency bonus to any checks made with that skill.
Mythos skills: Arcana (Arcane Conflux), Nature (Cavern of the Elements), Perception (Clockwork Complex), Animal Handling (Lair of Horrors).
Death Trap
From 9th level, when you use your Manifestation ability, you may choose to use your Dungeon Aspect ability twice instead of once, applying two different aspects. This increases to three times at 15th level.
Enfeebling Aura
At 11th level, hostile creatures whose movement is unaffected by your zone's difficult terrain have their speed reduced by 10 until their next turn if they enter or start their turn within your zone.
Perfect Adaption
At 13th level, you permanently gain all the traits granted by the Dungeon Adaption dungeon aspect.
Dungeon Master
From 15th level, while using your Manifestation ability, you can use an action to apply a dungeon aspect you know, as if you had used the Dungeon Aspect ability.
Alternatively, you can use an action to swap out an ongoing aspect for another you know. This ends the previous aspect's effects early, but does not cost any extra uses of your Dungeon Aspect ability.
The same aspect cannot be used more than once per manifestation, and you cannot have more than three aspects at a time.
Inured to Horror
At 17th level, you are immune to the frightened condition.
Death Course
At 18th level, when you use Death Trap to apply three dungeon aspects, you only expend two uses of your Dungeon Aspect ability.
Manifestation Unbound
At 20th level, as a free action when you would be incapacitated, killed, or otherwise inconvenienced, you may choose to unbind your manifestation.
When you do, your body is transported to your dungeon. Your manifestation zone and ongoing Dungeon Aspects persist without you, remaining centered on your last position. If you have no manifestation active, you immediately use the Manifestation ability. You now control your manifestation directly. You may use your actions and bonus actions to use your dungeon abilities as though your body were still present. On each of your turns you can move the center of your zone up to 30 feet, or 60 feet if you use your action to Dash. You are aware of everything within your zone, and can see and hear out of any point of it.
When your manifestation ends, your body reappears in the closest unoccupied space to its center, in the same state it was when it disappeared. After using this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Dungeon Mythos
The great dungeons of the world leave their mark on society, spawning entire genres of horror stories. Whether tales of monsters or magic, mad science or nature's wrath, most such stories describe one of a few notorious archetypes.
Arcane Conflux
Magic is not a constant, as some assume. Whether an intersection of the leylines, supernatural scars from an ancient curse, or a disruption caused by powerful artefacts, there are pockets of the world where reality weakens and magic reigns supreme. Gather enough magic in one place, and it takes on a life of its own. And magic does not take kindly to interference.
Arcane Aptitude
A small amount of your dungeon's magic trickles through you at all times. You gain the Magic Initiate feat. Your spellcasting ability for these spells is Constitution. If you damage any creatures using one of these cantrips while your manifestation is active, you can increase the damage done to one of them by an amount equal to your proficiency modifier.
Magical Conduit
At 6th level, you can easily detect, negate, or redirect nearby magic. You can cast Detect Magic, Dispel Magic, and Magic Missile, without material components. You can cast spells this way a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier. This count is reset when you finish a long rest.
These spells are cast as if using a 3rd level spell slot. This increases to 4th at level 7, 5th at level 11, 6th at level 14, and 7th at level 18.
Disjointed Reality
At 10th level, you learn the following dungeon aspect. It does not count towards your maximum number of aspects known, and you can use it without expending one of your dungeon aspect uses. Once you do so, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Disjointed Reality. You may spend half of your movement to cause two creatures you're aware of within your zone to swap places. An unwilling creature may attempt a Constitution saving throw - on a success, it is immune to this effect for the rest of the turn.
Dominion
At 14th level, your dungeon exerts total control over its own reality. As an action, you can cast Antimagic Field without requiring material components. Spells and abilities granted by your dungeon class are unaffected by it.
If your Manifestation ability is active, you can cast this even if some other magical ability would otherwise prevent you from casting (e.g. the Silence spell). While your manifestation is active, the spell's area increases to match your manifestation zone.
After using this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Cavern of the Elements
While all dungeons are dangerous to a greater or lesser extent, some are deadly just by their very nature. Freezing ice caves, scorching magma chambers, poisonous crypts - these dungeons have little need of traps or guardians. Anyone foolish enough to enter risks being flayed alive by the raw power contained within.
Elemental Fury
Choose a damage type: Acid, Cold, Fire, or Lightning. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can change the weapon's damage to the selected type. If you do, you inflict 1d4 extra damage if the target is within your zone.
This damage increases to 1d10 at 7th level, 2d10 at 11th, 3d10 at 15th, and 4d10 at 18th. You can select a new damage type when you use your Manifestation ability.
Elemental Command
At 6th level, you gain greater control over the elements in your dungeon. You can cast Absorb Elements, Thunder Step, and Zephyr Strike, without material components. You can cast spells this way a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier. This count is reset when you finish a long rest.
These spells are cast as if using a 3rd level spell slot. This increases to 4th at level 7, 5th at level 11, 6th at level 14, and 7th at level 18.
Extreme Conditions
At 10th level, you learn the following dungeon aspect. It does not count towards your maximum number of aspects known, and you can use it without expending one of your dungeon aspect uses. Once you do so, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Extreme Conditions. You have resistance to your Elemental Fury damage type. Additionally, when a hostile creature enters your zone, or starts its turn in it, it takes 1d6 damage of the same type. At 16th level, this increases to immunity, and 2d6 damage, respectively.
Cataclysm
At 14th level, you can use your action to conjure a storm of raw elemental power. Choose a point within your zone that you can see. A vortex appears there, using the rules of the Whirlwind spell. Instead of inflicting bludgeoning damage, it uses your Elemental Fury damage type. Creatures outside of your zone have advantage on saving throws against the vortex.
After using this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Clockwork Complex
While mechanical devices have become invaluable to modern society, there's always been a sinister edge to them. Designed to make life easier, yet harsh and unyielding. Built by people, yet incomprehensible. Animated, yet unliving.
Perhaps that's why, among all the nightmarish dungeons in the world, those constructed of brass and steam are often the most unnerving.
Unsafe Work Environment
When a creature you're aware of attempts to enter or exit your zone, you can use your reaction to cause pipes to burst around it, floors to collapse, or machinery to spring to life. This has the same effect as using Bump in the Dark's bonus action to shove the creature.
Additionally, the first time each turn that you successfully shove a creature, you also inflict 1 piercing damage to it. This damage increases to 1d6 at 7th level, 2d6 at 11th, 3d6 at 15th, and 4d6 at 18th.
Trap Mastery
At 6th level, you're able to easily rig up clockwork traps. You can cast Alarm, Glyph of Warding (Explosive Runes only), and Snare, without material components. Casting Snare this way only takes 1 action, and Glyph of Warding only takes 5 minutes. You can cast spells this way a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier. This count is reset when you finish a long rest.
These spells are cast as if using a 3rd level spell slot. This increases to 4th at level 7, 5th at level 11, 6th at level 14, and 7th at level 18.
Crushing Gears
At 10th level, you learn the following dungeon aspect. It does not count towards your maximum number of aspects known, and you can use it without expending one of your dungeon aspect uses. Once you do so, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Crushing Gears. Blood-crusted gears burst from the floor in three unoccupied spaces within your zone. When a hostile creature moves adjacent to a gear for the first time on its turn, or ends its turn adjacent to a gear, it must make a Dexterity saving throw or be dragged into the gear's space. When a creature enters a gear's space or ends its turn in one, it takes 3d8 bludgeoning damage, and its speed is reduced to 0 for the rest of the turn. This damage increases to 4d8 at 13th level, 5d8 at 16th, and 6d8 and 19th. If a gear ever leaves your zone, it is removed.
Restructured Reality
At 14th level, your dungeon is ever shifting in accordance to some unfathomable pattern. You can use an action to rearrange the contents of your zone. Creatures, furniture, and loose objects can be repositioned anywhere within it. Walls, doors, and other structures can be harmlessly rotated and moved up to 10 feet from their original position, provided they remain within your zone. Structural changes revert when your manifestation ends.
After using this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Lair of Horrors
Razor sharp teeth. Bristling fur. Powerful muscles. Eyes gleaming in the dark.
Your dungeon exemplifies this most ancient, primal fear. Beasts, monsters, and horrors of all sort prowl its depths, waiting for your call. Waiting for the hunt.
Hunger in the Dark
Predators stalk the shadows around you, slashing at unsuspecting foes. When you take the attack action, you may choose to count as anywhere within your zone for the purposes of making melee weapon attacks.
Additionally, the first time each round that you hit a target in your zone with a weapon attack, you inflict 2 bonus damage. This increases to 1d8 at 7th level, 2d8 at 11th, 3d8 at 15th, and 4d8 at 18th.
Monstrosity
At 6th level, you learn the following dungeon aspect. It does not count towards your maximum number of aspects known, and you can use it without expending one of your dungeon aspect uses. Once you do so, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Monstrosity. You cast Summon Beast, conjuring the creature in an unoccupied space you can see within your zone. It counts as having been summoned with a 3rd level spell slot. This increases to a 4th level spell slot at level 9, 5th at 12, 6th at 15, and 7th at level 18. From 10th level, you can cast Summon Aberration instead of Summon Beast.
Pack Leader
At 10th level, you can impose your dungeon's will on lesser creatures. You can cast Animal Messenger, Charm Monster, or Dominate Beast, without material components. You can cast spells this way a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier. This count is reset when you finish a long rest.
These spells are cast as if using a 4th level spell slot. This increases to 5th at level 11, 6th at level 14, and 7th at level 18.
Devour
At 14th level, your dungeon is a truly dangerous place to wander alone. As an action, you can force a creature you're aware of within your zone to make a Strength saving throw. It has disadvantage on this roll if it has no friendly creatures it can see within 15 feet.
On a failed save, the creature is dragged off into your dungeon, disappearing. It is incapacitated. When your manifestation ends, it takes 9d10 piercing damage, and reappears in the closest unoccupied space to where it disappeared. If this damage reduces it to 0 hit points, only its equipment reappears - the body is never found.
On a successful save, it takes half as much damage, but is not dragged off. After using this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Dungeon Aspects
If a dungeon aspect has prerequisites, you must meet them to learn it. You can learn an aspect at the same time that you meet its prerequisites.
Creeping Shadows
You and friendly creatures within your zone are lightly obscured, and have half cover against ranged attacks and spells.
Empowerment
You cast Enhance Ability without requiring material components, targeting yourself. You can maintain the spell for its full duration after your manifestation ends, so long as you maintain concentration on it.
Foreboding Silence
You cast Silence, centered on yourself. The radius of the effect is the same as your manifestation's radius, and the effect moves with you. You can maintain the spell for its full duration after your manifestation ends, so long as you maintain concentration on it.
Malevolent Architecture
You cast Wall of Stone without requiring material components. The number of panels conjured cannot exceed your proficiency modifier. Each panel must be wholly within your zone, and disappears if your zone leaves it.
Quickening
Friendly creatures within your zone, other than yourself, increase their speed by 10.
Rust and Ruin
Hostile creatures within your zone have their AC lowered by 1. Objects within your zone have their AC lowered by 4. At 13th level, this increases to 2 and 6, respectively.
Spreading Corruption
The radius of your manifestation zone is increased by 10 feet.
Dungeon Adaption
Prerequisite: 9th level
You gain the following traits. You can retain these effects for up to 1 hour after your manifestation ends, so long as you maintain concentration on it.
- You have darkvision out to a range of 60 feet
- You have tremorsense out to a range of 20 feet
- You have a climb speed of 30 feet
- You have a swim speed of 30 feet
- You know the Primal Savagery cantrip
Blood Offering
Prerequisite: 9th level
Friendly creatures within your zone can use a bonus action to inflict 1d6 damage to themselves. If they do, once per round they can each increase the damage they deal to a single creature by 1d6. At 15th level, these d6s increase to d12s.
Glimpse the True Form
Prerequisite: 9th level
You cast the Fear spell without requiring material components. This spell affects all hostile creatures within your zone, rather than creatures in a cone. Additionally, when a creature enters your zone for the first time, it is subject to the same effect.
Predecessor
Prerequisite: 9th level
You cast Summon Undead without requiring material components. The conjured creature must appear within your zone. It counts as having been summoned with a 3rd level spell. This increases to a 4th level spell at level 11, 5th at level 14, and 6th at level 17.
Unholy Infusion
Prerequisite: 9th level
When a creature you're aware of within your zone loses hit points, you can grant it temporary hit points, up to half the amount of hit points it lost. You can grant a maximum number of temporary hit points per round this way equal to your level. These hit points persist after your manifestation ends.
Absolute Territory
Prerequisite: 13th level
You cast Antilife Shell. The shell's radius is the same as your manifestation zone. You may choose to make it a smaller radius, to a minimum of 10 feet, but your manifestation zone shrinks to match. You can maintain the spell for its full duration after your manifestation ends, so long as you maintain concentration on it.
Festering Wounds
Prerequisite: 13th level
When you hit a creature within your zone with a weapon attack, it is poisoned until the start of your next turn.
Grave Shroud
Prerequisite: 13th level
You are adorned with the magic armor and trinkets of long-dead adventurers. Your AC increases by 2, to a minimum of 20, and you have a +2 bonus to all saving throws.
Shadow Guardians
Prerequisite: 13th level
You cast Shadow of Moil without requiring material components.
Spite
Prerequisite: 13th level
When a creature in your zone successfully makes a saving throw or wins an opposed skill check, you can use your reaction to inflict 1d10 necrotic damage to it. This increases to 2d10 at 17th level.
Darkness Falls
Prerequisite: 17th level
Magical darkness fills your zone. You are unaffected by it. Other creatures with darkvision can’t see through it, and nonmagical light cannot illuminate it. If this darkness overlaps with an area of light created by a spell of 5th level or lower, the spell that created the light is dispelled.
Executioner
Prerequisite: 17th level
Your melee weapon attacks deal an extra 1d12 force damage, or 2d12 against creatures currently knocked prone by Bump in the Dark.
Not Yours To Take
Prerequisite: 17th level
You cast Death Ward on up to 3 creatures within your zone, excluding yourself. The effect only applies to a creature while it remains in your zone.
Twisty Little Passages
Prerequisite: 17th level
The first time a creature within your zone moves during its turn, you can use your reaction to force it to make an Intelligence saving throw. On a failure, you decide where it moves to, so long as it remains within your zone. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks.