# Spiritualist An armored human confidently approaches an enemy army. His weapons and armor glow, infused with his power. He casts an illusion spell to distract his enemies, and then he is upon them in melee. A dwarf barely pays any attention to the thugs trying to mug him. The carvings on the wall are much more interesting to him. He sighs in frustration as they get covered in blood. The enormous golem that serves as his protector can sometimes be overzealous. A Halfling sighs as his party's wizard and druid once again argue whose magic is superior. The distinction between the arcane and the primal always seemed so arbitrary to him. His spirit friends have no such limitations, when he approaches them for help. An elf views a powerful warlord through a crystal ball, and reinforces the curse she placed on him weeks ago. Soon he will be weak enough that his allies will turn on him. The messages she sent them in their dreams will make sure of that. > ##### Build Diversity > The Spiritualist has a customizable spell list and four subclasses that play extremely differently: > * Spirit Warrior: Martial subclass > * Spirit Caller: Pet subclass > * Shaman: Spellcaster > * Witch: Disabler > ##### Balance Note > This class is a work in progress. Throughout this document you will find balance notes such as this one that explain how to build effective characters in this class, and compares them to existing classes for balancing. > My balancing philosophy is that it should be easy and straightforward to build a character who is useful, but impossible to build one that beats other classes at the things they are supposed to be best at. > The Spiritualist itself is supposed to be best at something that no existing class does well: Casting spells out of combat, but not in a fight. \columnbreak ### Communing with Spirits Spiritualists are individuals who can sense and communicate with spirits, which reside in all things: In people. In nature. In artificial objects. Even abstract concepts. The motivations and origins of Spiritualist are as diverse as the spirits they speak to. One may have learned to talk to the spirits of nature through tribal rituals, like a druid. A second may have studied to speak to the spirits of the dead, like a Wizard. A third may have been approached by a particularly powerful spirit on its own terms, like a Warlock. A fourth may be an Artificer, binding spirits to magical runes in his armor. ### Powerful when prepared What all Spiritualists have in common is that the source of their power is great, but slow to act. Spiritualists are not spellslingers, able to dominate a fight by throwing out one powerful spell after another. They are methodical casters that rely on preparation, and favor different methods in combat than the typical spellcaster. ### Creating a Spiritualist To create a Spiritualist, first decide on your relationships to the spirits. Is your power to talk to them inborn, or was it earned? Do you speak to spirits of all kinds equally, or only to a certain type of them? What is the motivation of the spirits you speak to, and what is your relation to them? Do you dominate them by sheer will and make them do your bidding, or do you seek a mutually beneficial relationship in which you help the spirits in exchange for greater power? #### Quick Build You can make a Spiritualist quickly by following these suggestions. First, Wisdom should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution or Dexterity. Pick any background of your choice that fits the idea of your character. The default choice here would be Hermit, if you are going for a Spiritualist that talks to nature spirits, and is similar to a druid. Be warned: The spellcasting mechanic of the Spiritualist is different from other classes and may be confusing to new players. \pagebreak ### Mechanical Identity How is this class different from other classes? The Spiritualist is extremely versatile when it comes to solving problems before a battle starts, with a diverse and customizable spell list. However, they use a unique mechanic for casting spells that severely limits their ability to cast spells in combat: Primed Casting. In combat, you usually get to cast only a single spell and then have to rely on a different method of fighting, which depends on the subclass. Each of the subclasses also has a way to expend spell slots in combat without casting spells, although this is inefficient and should be saved for emergencies. The subclasses share only that your spellcasting is limited by Primed Casting, but otherwise play very differently from each other: * Spirit Warrior: Martial subclass. A warrior with enchanted weapons and armor. * Spirit Caller: Have a powerful permanent companion, boost it further by channeling energy into it. * Shaman: A caster that can run two concentration spells simultaneously, but can't cast other spells as well as normal casters. This class is difficult to play, but powerful in the right hands. * Witch: Apply debilitating effects to enemies, and set them up for your allies to kill. At high levels, you are as prepared as the stereotypical God Wizard in his tower, if not moreso. You have an answer for every situation, and preparation is half the battle for you. But unlike a wizard, you won't be able to dominate a fight by just chaining one powerful spell after another. You need to use an alternate tactic to win, and if the enemy ever catches you unprepared, you are in big trouble. \columnbreak > ##### Balance Note: What is this class similar to, and what's the difference? > The Spiritualist is perhaps most similar to a Warlock: Like the Warlock, the Spiritualist casts one spell per combat and then does something else. The differences are: > * The Warlock's default action is dealing damage with Eldritch Blast. The Spiritualist's default action instead is a different ability depending on the choice of subclass. The Spirit Warrior subclass specifically is very similar to the Hexblade, and has been balanced with that comparison in mind. > * The Warlock's Eldritch Invocations are similar to the Spiritualist's Spirit Boons, but they are good at different things. > * The Spiritualist is even more limited at in-combat casting than the Warlock, who at least gets more spell slots at higher levels. > * The Spiritualist instead has a very customizable spell list, so that he can cast many useful spells out of combat. > ##### Balance Note: Permanent effects > It was a conscious decision by the designers of D&D 5e to minimize the number of spells that have permanent effects without a concentration requirement. This class therefore goes a little against that philosophy. There is very little this class can do in terms of pre-combat buffing that a wizard couldn't also do, but it encourages that behavior more. At the same time, its level 10 feature extends the duration of spells with a duration of one hour or more to 24 hours, and at that point it actually becomes quite easy to keep track of your buffs: Just declare that you are casting them immediately after a long rest, and note them as semi-permanent features on your character sheet. Spiritualists can also use spell slots out of combat to cast healing spells, or expend them in combat for subclass-specific effects. You are not forced to use long-duration buffs, but it is more viable than it is for other classes. \pagebreak <div class='classTable wide'> ##### The Spiritualist Table | Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Spirit Boons | Cantrips Known | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | |:---:|:---:|:---|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| | 1st | +2 | Spellcasting, Ritual Casting, Primed Casting, Spirit Medium | — | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 2nd | +2 | Spirit Boons, Spirit Charges | 2 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 3rd | +2 | Calling | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 5th | +3 | - | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 6th | +3 | Calling Feature | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 7th | +3 | - | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | | 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | | 9th | +4 | - | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | | 10th | +4 | Lasting Magic | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | | 11th | +4 | - | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | | 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | | 13th | +5 | - | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | | 14th | +5 | Calling Feature | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | | 15th | +5 | - | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | | 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | | 17th | +6 | - | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | | 18th | +6 | Ritual Master | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 20th | +6 | Epic Boon | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | </div> > ##### Alternate Primary Ability Score > The Spiritualist uses Wisdom as his casting stat by default, but Intelligence or Charisma may be more appropriate to your character. Changing the casting stat to one of these should not change anything about the class's balance. > To change it, simply change all occurrences of the Wisdom ability score in this document with your chosen ability score, except for the saving throw proficiencies. Your saving throw proficiences are Wisdom and whatever ability score you chose. ## Class Features As a Spiritualist, you gain the following class features #### Hit Points ___ - **Hit Dice:** 1d8 per Spiritualist level - **Hit Points at 1st Level:** 8 + your Constitution modifier - **Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier \columnbreak #### Proficiencies ___ - **Armor:** Light armor - **Weapons:** Clubs, daggers, darts, javelins, maces, quarterstaffs, scimitars, sickles, slings, spears - **Tools:** tools ___ - **Saving Throws:** Charisma, Wisdom - **Skills:** Choose two from Arcana, Animal Handling, Insight, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Persuasion, and Survival #### Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: - Any simple weapon - Leather armor - An explorer’s pack - Acomponent pouch or a spellcasting focus of your choice \pagebreak #### Spellcasting At 1st level, you can manifest magical effects through the spirits you talk to. See Chapter 10 in the Player's Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting. The Spiritualist uses the Druid spell list as its basis, and can later use Spirit Boons to get access to additional spells. ##### Cantrips At 1st level, you know three cantrips of your choice. You learn additional cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Spiritualist table. ##### Preparing and Casting Spells The Spiritualist table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your Spiritualist spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. Additionally, your spellcasting is limited by your Primed Casting feature. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. You prepare the list of Spiritualist spells that are available for you to cast. To do so, choose a number of Spiritualist spells from your spell list equal to your Wisdom modifier + your Spiritualist level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of Spiritualist spells requires time spent communicating with the spirits: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list. ##### Spellcasting Ability Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your Spiritualist spells. You use your Spiritualist whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Spiritualist spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one. <div style='margin-top:20px'></div> <font face='scalysans' size='2'> <center> **Spell Save DC** </font> = <font face='scalysans' size='2'> 8 + your proficiency bonus + </center> <div style='margin-top:-8px'></div> <center> your Wisdom modifier </center> <div style='margin-top:12px'></div> <center> **Spell attack modifier** </font> = <font face='scalysans' size='2'> your proficiency bonus + </center> <div style='margin-top:-8px'></div> <center> your Wisdom modifier </center> </font> ##### Spellcasting Focus You can use an arcane, divine, or druidic spellcasting focus for your Spiritualist spells (your choice). ##### Ritual Casting You can cast a Spiritualist spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag. You don’t need to have the spell prepared, but it must be of a level for which you have spell slots. ##### Permanent Effects If a spell you cast has ongoing effects, such as Find Steed, then you must continue to prepare it or else the effect of the spell ends. This restriction does not apply to ritual spells. \columnbreak #### Primed Casting Spirits are powerful, but they do not act fast enough to be suitable for casting in combat. You are a prepared caster, but you can not simply cast spells. Instead, you can only cast a spell that is primed. To prime a spell, you need to expend a spell slot of the appropriate level and concentrate on the spell for two rounds, as you find and instruct a spirit to cast it for you later. Keeping a spell primed requires your concentration. Releasing the primed spell uses the spell's normal casting time and the spell becomes unprimed again. Concentration on priming a spell or keeping it primed can't be broken by damage or other external effects, because you are well accustomed to it. As an action, you can drop concentration on a primed spell to regain the spell slot. If you lose concentration in any other way, the spell slot is lost. Cantrips and spells with a casting time of one minute or more or any ritual spells that are cast as rituals do not need to be primed. Some other game features, such as from a race or feat, may give you the ability to cast a spell a limited number of times for free, or by expending a spell slot. Such spells are added to the Spiritualist spell list for you. You can use their free uses without priming the spell, but you can only cast it with a spell slot if you have primed it first. If you cast it with one of the free uses, that instance of the spell does not count as a Spiritualist spell. #### Spirit Medium At 1st level, you can hear spirits and talk to them, although they may be difficult to understand, depending on the nature of the spirit. You have advantage on any ability check made to detect, understand, or interact with spirits. \pagebreak > ##### Balance Note > Primed Casting significantly reduces the usefulness of most spells and makes this class much worse than other full casters at casting spells in combat. It takes three rounds to cast a spell with a casting time of one action if you did not plan ahead and prime it. This is not worth doing in combat, but it's still fast enough that it won't slow you down too much when you cast spells outside of combat. > > Since Primed Casting takes concentration, you can't prime two spells at once, and you can't cast another spell while you have a concentration spell running, since you would need to drop concentration first so that you can prime the other spell. > > Cantrips are excepted from this because they are a fallback option, and spells with a longer casting time, as well as rituals, are excepted because adding another two rounds to cast them would just be needless extra bookkeeping. > > This class has a feature to expand its spell list massively. The druid spell list is the base chassis because it is the most diverse of all spell lists. Normally, having an enormous spell list would make a full caster very overpowered. However, the requirement to prime spells severely limits the usefulness of many spells and brings the power level back down. The Spiritualist is supposed to be the most versatile caster in the game, even more than the wizard, but he is much more limited in how he can use his spells than other casters. > > One particularly punishing effect of the Primed Casting limitation is that the Spiritualist can't effectively cast low-level emergency spells like Healing Word, Shield, Absorb Elements, or Counterspell. > ##### Recommended Spells > Because of Primed Casting, This class works well if you use spells that have ongoing effects. Anything that can be cast in between combats or even at the start of the day is gold. This class has the ability to gain new spells from other spell lists, at the cost of very important Spirit Boons. This allows you to customize your spell list. > > Examples for spells that work well for the Spiritualist despite the casting limitation: > * **Out-of-combat healing spells:** Goodberry, Healing Spirit, Aura of Vitality > * **Spells with permanent effects:** Find Familiar, Find Steed, Simulacrum > * **Utility spells for dungeoneering:** Knock, Locate Object, Augury, Arcane Lock > * **Spells with a trigger:** Glyph of Warding, Contingency > * **Long lasting spells:** Goodberry, Longstrider, Armor of Agathys, Aid, Protection From Poison, Animate Dead, Tiny Servant, Death Ward, Freedom of Movement, Crown of Stars, Regenerate \pagebreak #### Spirit Boons At 2nd level, the spirits grant you permanent improvements. You gain two Spirit Boons of your choice. When you gain certain Spiritualist levels, you gain additional Spirit Boons of your choice, as shown in the Spirit Boons column of the Spiritualist table. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Spirit Boons you know and replace it with another Spirit Boon for which you meet the requirements. #### Spirit Charges At 2nd level, you learn how to draw on the energy of the spirits in a less structured way than through spells. You have a pool of Spirit Charges equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended charges when you finish a short or long rest. You have several ways to spend Spirit Charges, and may spend a number of them up to your proficiency bonus per turn. Your subclass will add additional ways to spend Spirit Charges, but you start with the following method: * When you would fail a saving throw for a concentration check, you may use your reaction and expend a number of Spirit Charges to increase the result of the roll by the number of charges spent, potentially turning the roll into a success. You can also regain Spirit Charges as a free action by expending spell slots. You regain one Spirit Charge per level of each expended slot. You can do this as part of an action that consumes Spirit Charges, so you won't lose charges if expending a spell slot for this would bring you over the maximum number you can store. Example: Your proficiency bonus is 5, you currently have 4 Spirit Charges. You can expend a level 2 spell slot, perform an action that costs 5 Spirit Charges, and have 1 Spirit Charge left over afterwards. > ##### Balance Note: Spirit Charges > Spirit Charges are both the short rest resource used by this class, and its way to deal with emergencies. Using your spell slots to recharge your Spirit Charges is a very inefficient use of a spell slot, but since it is a free action to do so and Spiritualists can't cast levelled spells once they have cast their primed spell anyway, this is sometimes the only way to win a particularly difficult fight. Spending a spell slot on a spell out of combat is far more resource efficient but requires forethought, which adds an element of tactical depth to the class. The basic method to use Spirit Charges that is used by all subclasses helps you to pass your concentration checks, which is very important for a class that can't just re-cast a concentration spell if it goes down. #### Calling Starting at 3rd level, you determine your calling as a Spiritualist. Choose one of the subclasses outlined at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, and 14th level. #### Lasting Magic Starting at 10th level, you learn how to make the effects of your spells more permanent. Whenever you cast a Spiritualist spell with a duration of one hour or more, you can extend the duration to 24 hours or until you or any target of the spell finishes a long rest, whichever happens first. Additionally, when an enemy tries to dispel or counter a magical effect of yours with Dispel Magic or Counterspell, they have disadvantage on the roll. > ##### Balance Note: Lasting Magic > Lasting Magic is useful for several things: > * Non-concentration buffs and minions like Longstrider, Freedom of Movement, and Tiny Servant now last the whole day. > * It becomes a very viable tactic now to cast a 1-hour concentration spell such as Conjure Animals right after a long rest and just keep the spell going throughout the day. This will prevent you from casting anything else without dropping the spell, but if you suddenly get attacked, you won't have to use the first round of combat to set up. > * It makes the decision to take a short rest easier, because some of your concentration spells will now last throughout the short rest instead of expiring. #### Ritual Master Starting at 18th level, your comprehension of slow but efficient spellcasting deepens significantly. You can cast any spell you have prepared of sixth level or lower as a ritual, without expending a spell slot. You can use this ability once and then have to finish a long rest before you can use it again. #### Epic Boon You gain the Epic Boon of Spell Recall or another Epic Boon of your choice. \pagebreak ### Spirit Boons The following is a list of Spirit Boons that are available to all Spiritualists. Your choice of subclass unlocks additional Spirit Boons, which are listed under the subclass. Unless specified otherwise, each Spirit Boon can only be taken once. ##### Expanded Casting Choose a school of magic (Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy, and Transmutation). Add all spells of the chosen school from all spell lists to your Spiritualist spell list. Can be taken multiple times. > ##### Balance Note: Expanded Casting > Expanded Casting is the key ability that makes the Spiritualist powerful, as it allows them to learn any spell in the game. It's better than a Bard's Magical Secrets, but held back by the fact that all of these spells suffer from the restrictions of Primed Casting. For example, the spells Counterspell and Shield are commonly taken with Magical Secrets, but they are practically useless to you because of Primed Casting. They are too situational, and therefore not worth priming. ##### Ritual Focus Add all ritual spells from all spell lists to your Spiritualist spell list. > ##### Balance Note: Ritual Focus > This allows you to cast any ritual spell in the game without preparing them. It is a straight upgrade over the Warlock's Eldritch Invocation Book of Ancient Secrets. This is because the Spiritualist is supposed to be an excellent caster out of combat, and rituals are the best way to get that. Conversely, the Warlock is able to get Eldritch Invocations that let you cast a spell at will, while the Spiritualist can count himself lucky if he can get the ability to cast a spell without priming it. \columnbreak ##### Spirit Advisor You bind to a spirit of knowledge. Select one skill or tool you are proficient with. You may double your proficiency bonus for checks with that skill or tool. Additionally, you may use Wisdom for ability checks you make with it instead of the ability score you would normally use. Can be taken multiple times. ##### Borrowed Knowledge You listen to a variety of different spirits for advice. You gain proficiency in one skill, tool or language. You can change your selection at the end of a short rest. ##### Improved Concentration You can add your Wisdom modifier to concentration checks you make to maintain concentration on spells. ##### Emergency Spell Requires Level 5 When you finish a long rest, you may select one spell you have prepared with a casting time of one bonus action or one reaction as your emergency spell. You may cast that spell once without priming it, expending spell slots as normal. You may do this once, and regain the ability to do so when you finish a short rest. > ##### Balance Note: Emergency Spell > Emergency Spell is a very expensive way to get a small fraction of what normal spell casters take for granted. It allows you to cast staple emergency spells such as Healing Word, Shield, Absorb Elements, or Counterspell. But only one of them, and only once per short rest, and it costs you a Spirit Boon. The Shaman subclass gets a more flexible way to cast spells without priming, but only by expending the highly limited Spirit Charges. ##### Extra Spirit Charges Requires Level 5, Shaman The maximum number of Spirit Charges you can have as well as the maximum number of Spirit Charges you can spend per turn both increase to twice your proficiency bonus. \pagebreak > ##### Balance Note: Extra Spirit Charges > Extra Spirit Chargesis useful in two ways: > * It's great if you find yourself taking short rests often because you get a lot of extra uses of your abilities that way without having to sacrifice spell slots. > * Increasing the maximum number of Spirit Charges you can spend per turn allows for greater power spikes and lets you nova more effectively. ##### Flexible Casting Requires Level 18 As an action, you may exchange a prepared spell you know with another spell you know but didn't prepare. You may use this ability once and must finish a long rest before you can use it again. \columnbreak ## Callings ### Spirit Warrior Spirit Warriors use the power of spirits to enhance their own martial abilities and enchant their armaments. > ##### Balance Note > This subclass is comparable to the Hexblade and the Bladesinger. > > **Comparison to the Bladesinger:** The Bladesinger has more AC at all levels, but fewer hitpoints. The damage output of both is comparable and one class is stronger than the other at different levels. The Bladesinger does not have the spellcasting limitation of Primed Casting, which is particularly noteworthy because of reaction spells like Shield and Counterspell. The Spirit Warrior has a more diverse spell list and can get access to permanent buff spells like Find Greater Steed. > > **Comparison to the Hexblade:** They are mechanically very similar at all levels in terms of AC, health and damage. The main difference is that the Warlock is a short rest-based class and can get Eldritch Invocations for utility and at-will spells, while the Spirit Warrior is a long rest-based class with a more diverse spell list and permanent buffs like Find Greater Steed. Primed Casting is even more limiting in your ability to cast spells than Warlock spell slots are, as the Warlock will be able to cast several spells per combat at higher levels, while the Spirit Warrior never gets that ability at all. #### Spiritual Armaments At 3rd level, through your own training as well as the aid of spirits, you gain a number of benefits that allow you to fight with weapons and armor. * You gain proficiency with simple weapons, martial weapons, medium armor, heavy armor, and shields. * You may use your Wisdom instead of your Strength or Dexterity for your attack and damage rolls with weapon attacks. * You may use any weapon you are holding as a spellcasting focus for your Spiritualist spells. * You add Booming Blade and Green-flame Blade to your list of Spiritualist spells. They are always prepared and don't count against your number of cantrips. \pagebreak #### Spirit Smite At 6th level, you gain several new options for spending Spirit Charges. When you hit a target with a weapon attack, you may select one of the following options by paying the specified number of Spirit Charges: * **1, Taunt:** The creature has disadvantage on attacks against any creature other than you until the end of your next turn. * **1, Shove:** The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw. On a failure, you can choose between knocking it prone or moving it up to 5ft away from you. * **1, Frighten:** The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you until the end of your next turn. * **2, Restrain:** The target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or become restrained until the end of your next turn. * **2, Blind:** The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become blinded until the end of your next turn. * **3, Concuss:** The target has to succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be affected by this ability until the end of your next turn. The affected target’s speed is halved, it takes a −2 penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws, and it can’t use reactions. On its turn, it can use either an action or a bonus action, not both. Regardless of the creature’s abilities or magic items, it can’t make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn. If the creature attempts to cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action, roll a d20. On an 11 or higher, the spell doesn’t take effect until the creature’s next turn, and the creature must use its action on that turn to complete the spell. If it can’t, the spell is wasted. * **4, Stun:** The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become stunned until the end of your next turn. > ##### Balance Note: Spirit Smite > Since Spirit Charges are fuelled by spell slots, this is like a mix of a Paladin's smite, but inflicts status effects instead of damage. You are primarily a spellcaster, after all. So you leave the nova damage to the Paladin and supplement your attacks with controlling effects instead, which opens up a lot of tactical options to support your team. Each effect targets a different saving throw and is useful in a different situation: An archer may apply fear to prevent a brutish melee enemy from approaching. A bulky and slow melee monster may be restrained to make them easier to fight. A fragile spellcaster may be blinded to prevent them from targeting you with spells that require sight. > > Note that the Spirit Warrior's smites are more useful at higher levels than the Paladin's, as status effects have a constant value at all levels of play while the value of extra damage falls off as you encounter enemies with more hitpoints. This makes up for the fact that a Spiritualist is a full caster that can't actually cast more than one spell per combat. The Paladin does not gain these smites with disabling effects, but instead gets extremely valuable passive boosts, such as Aura of Protection. > > If you intend to deal more damage, the best way to do this with a Spirit Warrior is to take a concentration spell that deals damage passively, such as Spirit Guardians or Holy Weapon. A Spirit Warrior with Spirit Guardians up can simulate the basic-but-effective playstyle of a Cleric with Spirit Guardians. He will even be more effective at this than the Cleric, but has much less flexibility in combat, as he is unable to cast Spiritual Weapon, Healing Word or other emergency spells while Spirit Guardians is running. Also, Spirit Guardians is very flavorful for a Spiritualist. \pagebreak #### Runic Armaments At 14th level, you learn how to store magic within your armor and weapons, and call upon it in an emergency. The spell Glyph of Warding is added to your spell list. You can cast Glyph of Warding with your own weapon or armor as the target. If cast in this way, it does not require or consume material components and the spell does not end when the Glyph is moved. The spell ends if you move more than 10 feet away from the glyph. If you want, you can trigger this Glyph with a thought, no action required. You can have only one Glyph active in this manner at a time. > ##### Balance Note: Runic Armaments > This ability is intended for storing a buff or healing spell in the glyph, which you can trigger in an emergency. #### Boons of the Spirit Warrior The following Spirit Boons are restricted to the Spirit Warrior subclass. ##### Spirit-infusion You can bind a spirit to one weapon, armor or shield to turn it into a magic item with a +1 bonus. You may change the item on a long rest. If you have two identical weapons, you can infuse one and mark the other as its twin. While a creature is wielding both at the same time, both weapons benefit from the infusion and they share effects from spells that improve a weapon, such as Holy Weapon. Starting at 7th level, when you use this feature you may use the magic in an existing magic weapon or armor you are touching as a power source, provided that it gives at least a +1 bonus. That weapon loses its magic until this effect ends, and the bonus provided by this ability becomes one plus the bonus provided by the selected magic item, up to a maximum of +2. At 13th level, the maximum becomes 3. You can not change the type of bonus (attack and damage, or AC) when you use an existing magic item as a power source. This ability does not transfer any additional magical properties of the item. Can be taken multiple times. > ##### Balance Note: Spirit-infusion. > You found a +1 mace that nobody in the party wants to use? It's now the power source to create a pair of +2 scimitars which you dual-wield instead. Besides the flavor, this is slightly stronger than getting a +1 on all attack and damage rolls. ##### Fighting Style You learn a fighting style of your choice from the list of fighting styles available to the Fighter. \columnbreak ##### Extra Attack Requires Level 5 You can attack twice whenever you take the attack action. ##### Improved Extra Attack Requires Level 12, requires Extra Attack When you take the attack action, you may replace one attack with a cantrip. ##### Improved Spirit Smite Requires Level 18 You can use Spirit Smite more efficiently. The costs of each of its options are reduced by one. \pagebreak ### Spirit Caller Spirit Callers are individuals who have bound a particularly powerful spirit as their permanent companion. This spirit can manifest a body and fight for them. > ##### Balance Note: Spirit Caller > You get a permanent minion that deals and tanks damage. It is both a source of damage and a hitpoint buffer for the team. It has abilities that encourage enemies to attack it. > > Balancing this is difficult, because it adds an extra body to the field and it feels bad for a player if either the character he is playing or the pet are weak, but it would also be overpowered if they are both strong. The approach I took allows you to balance how much power you want to put in your companion and how much in your character. You can even make both strong if you sacrifice your concentration for it. See the Spirit Boons for details. > > The best comparison to existing classes in terms of balance is probably the Moon Druid: > > Both use the druids's spell list. The Moon Druid's wildshape forms are comparable to the Spirit Caller's Companion Spirit. Both typically start combat by dropping one big concentration spell and then engaging in melee. Both act as damage sponges for the team. Both have utility in combat, the Moon Druid by using attacks that restrain on a hit and the Spirit Caller through a taunt mechanic. Wildshape and Expanded Casting both give utility. The Moon Druid can take feats that boost his combat abilities and gets stronger wildshapes automatically as he levels up, while the Spirit Caller's Companion Spirit has its own feat progression. > > The Spirit Caller's Companion Spirit is intended to be somewhat stronger than wildshape forms, but unlike the Moon Druid's wildshape it does not recharge on a short rest, but needs to be healed by expending hit dice and casting healing spells. This gives the druid better sustain over longer adventuring days, but makes the Spirit Caller better in boss fights. This is balanced by the Priming requirement of the Spiritualist: The Moon Druid can conserve his spell slots for a boss fight and cast spells during combat once he runs out of wildshape charges, but the Spirit Caller is reduced to casting cantrips once the Companion Spirit is dead. \columnbreak ##### Companion Spirit At 3rd Level, you gain a Companion Spirit, which can create a body for itself. The Companion Spirit can either be incorporeal, or it can inhabit an object or creature. While it is incorporeal, only you can sense it, it instinctively returns to you and can not move away from you, and it can not interact with the world except by communicating with you or other creatures that can detect it. While it is incorporeal, you can perform a one minute ritual during which the spirit constructs a physical shape for itself, becoming corporeal. This requires your concentration. The shape it constructs can look like any creature or object you imagine during the ritual, but it is not a very accurate copy. The corporeal spirit is always recognizably an animated creature, regardless of what it was supposed to resemble, although at the DM's discretion it may have advantage on stealth or deception checks as appropriate. While the spirit is corporeal, it uses the below stat block, regardless of its form. If you perform this ritual as part of a long rest, the creature appears with full hit points. Otherwise it appears with the number of hit points it had when it last became discorporeal, or with 1 hit point if it died. You can use spells or abilities to heal the corporeal form of the spirit. The Companion Spirit can also expend its hit dice to heal during a short rest. The spirit is loyal to you and obeys your commands to the best of its abilities. You have an instinctive bond with it that allows you to fight as a seamless unit. In combat, the Companion Spirit acts during your turn. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it can take is the Dodge or Disengage action unless you use your Empower Companion ability on it. If it is Empowered, it may take any action in its stat block or some other action. If the spirit is reduced to zero hit points, it can make death saving throws like a player character. If you die or are knocked unconscious, the spirit's corporeal form immediately dies and the spirit becomes incorporeal. If the Companion Spirit is ever more than 200ft away from you, it dies. While the Companion Spirit is incorporeal, when you deal damage with a Spiritualist cantrip, you may add your Wisdom modifier to one instance of its damage to one of its targets. Whenever the Companion Spirit gains a corporeal form, choose one option for each of the following: * It size. Choose between Small and Medium. Starting at level 10, you may also choose Tiny or Large. Starting at level 18, you may also choose Huge. * The damage type of its Strike attack. Choose between slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning. \pagebreak ___ > ## Companion Spirit > [The chosen size], [your alignment] > ___ > - **Armor Class** 11 + its Dexterity modifier + your Proficiency Bonus (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 10 + seven times your Spiritualist level minus one (it has a number of hit dice [d8s] equal to your Spiritualist level). > > This is based on the normal rules for calculating the hit points of a player character, and changes when the statistics of the Companion Spirit change. > - **Speed** 30ft >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|15 (+2)|15 (+2)|15 (+2)|10 (+0)|10 (+0)|10 (+0)| >___ > - **Saving Throws** Wisdom, Intelligence, Charisma > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 > - **Languages** understands the languages you speak, but can't speak them. > - **Challenge** - > - **Proficiency Bonus (PB)** equals your bonus > ___ > > ### Abilities > **Immutable Form** The Companion Spirit is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form. > ### Actions > ***Strike.*** *Melee Attack:* its Strength modifier plus its proficiency bonus to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 1d8 + its Strength modifier damage of the chosen type. #### Empower Companion At 3rd Level, you gain the ability to Empower your Companion Spirit. If your Companion Spirit is corporeal, you may use an action to empower it until the end of the turn if it is within 60ft of you and you can see it. Choose one of the following options: * **Toughen up:** The Companion Spirit gains temporary hit points equal to your level. * **Taunt:** When your Companion Spirit hits a creature with a weapon attack, that creature has disadvantage on attacks against any creature other than the Companion Spirit until the end of your next turn. * **Maneuver:** Until the end of the turn, your Companion Spirit may take the Dash or Disengage action as a bonus action. The Companion Spirit may only be empowered once per turn. \columnbreak #### Growing Companion Whenever you gain a feat or ASI from this class, you may also choose a feat or ASI for your Companion Spirit at the same time. Pick a feat from the following list. The Dungeon Master may decide to add additional feats to the list if appropriate. The Companion Spirit counts as wearing armor of the appropriate types for the purpose of feats that require armor or a lack of armor. * Charger * Crusher * Fighting Initiate * Heavy Armor Master * Mage Slayer * Martial Adept * Mobile * Observant * Piercer * Savage Attacker * Sentinel * Skill Expert * Slasher * Tavern Brawler * Tough #### Advanced Empowerment At 6th level, you gain new options for spending Spirit Charges. When you Empower your companion, you may expend any number of Spirit Charges to gain bonus effects. You may distribute the points in any way you want to gain the following effects, for the indicated cost. Each option may only be selected once: * **1, Extra:** Select an additional one of the normal options of Empowerment. Each option can only be taken once. * **1, Protective:** Until the start of your next turn, when a creature within five feet of your Companion Spirit attacks another creature other than the Companion Spirit, the Companion Spirit can use its reaction to make a single weapon attack against that creature. * **1, Powerful:** Until the start of your next turn, the first time your Companion Spirit hits a creature with a weapon attack, that creature must make a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC or be knocked prone. * **2, Quickened:** Until the start of your next turn, your Companion Spirit may use its bonus action to make a single weapon attack. * **3, Hardened:** Until the start of your next turn, your Companion Spirit gains resistance to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage. \pagebreak #### Absorb Magic At 6th level, your companion learns to absorb magic weapons and armors to gain their properties. When you give your Companion SPirit physical form, you may touch a magic weapon, an armor, or both, with a bonus to attack/damage or AC to the Companion Spirit to let it absorb the item as it creates a body for itself. When it does so, it gains the modifier of the item for its own attack/damage or AC, but no other bonuses. If it absorbs a magic weapon, its natural attacks count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. It can not absorb more than one weapon and one armor. When the Spirit becomes incorporeal, the item disappears harmlessly on the ground in its location and regains its magic. #### Strengthened Manifestation At level 14, your Companion Spirit becomes better at solidifying when it takes physical form. Its hit dice increase from d8 to d12. This increases its maximum hit points by two plus two times your level. Additionally, it gains proficiency in Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws. #### Boons of the Spirit Caller The following Spirit Boons are restricted to the Spirit Caller subclass. ##### Channel Empowerment You may use a bonus action to enter a state of concentration to empower your companion, as if you were concentrating on a spell. While this concentration lasts, you may use a bonus action instead of an action to use Empower Companion. If you use Empower Companion in this way, you no longer get to pick one of the options of Empowerment, although you may still get them by spending Spirit Charges. \columnbreak > ##### Balance Note: Channel Empowerment > Having an option to hit things in combat while your mount is attacking at the same time is important to many players for roleplay reasons, but this is difficult to balance because you now have two characters on the field. Fortunately there is a point of comparison: A summoning spell can also put more characters on the field. Channel Empowerment is balanced around that tradeoff. > > Channel Empowerment prevents you from casting spells or having a concentration effect up, but it leaves you able to cast a cantrip while still empowering your Companion Spirit. It enables an alternative play style. Without this Spirit Boon, you cast a concentration spell on the first turn and then Empower on subsequent turns. With this Boon, you cast a non-concentration spell on the first turn, then turn on this feature and cast cantrips on subsequent turns. This allows you to attack with a blade cantrip at the same time that the Companion Spirit attacks. > > Alternatively, you forego casting entirely and activate this ability before combat starts, allowing you to use cantrip and Empowerment starting from turn one. > > This is an extremely resource-efficient way to fight, which is why you don't get the free option that Empowerment normally gives if you use it. Adding temporary hit points to your Companion Spirit every turn on top of all that damage would be excessive. > > For comparison: Most concentration spells deal more damage per round than a cantrip, or have other useful effects. You need the Spirit Boon Knight in order to use this effectively. If you took Expanded Casting (conjuration) instead, you would gain Spirit Guardians. Even at the minimum casting level of 3, Spirit Guardians is more effective at dealing damage than the blade cantrips until you get to level 11, at which point you would need to upcast Spirit Guardians to level 4. Taking Knight and Channel Empowerment means having an option for better resourceless damage, but it is weaker than having a concentration spell combined with the normal effects of Empower Companion. \pagebreak ##### Knight You gain a number of abilities to help you fight alongside your Companion Spirit. * You gain proficiency with simple weapons, martial weapons, medium armor, heavy armor, and shields. * You may use your Wisdom instead of your Strength or Dexterity for your attack and damage rolls with weapon attacks. * You may use any weapon you are holding as a spellcasting focus for your Spiritualist spells. * You add Booming Blade and Green-flame blade to your list of Spiritualist spells. They are always prepared and don't count against your number of cantrips. > ##### Balance Note: Knight > Knight gives you the same features that the Spirit Warrior gets at level 3, but since you won't get Extra Attack or a damage boost later, this is of limited use. If you combine it with Channel Empowerment however, you can play a magical knight who fights alongside his mount, as you can both attack at the same time. > > Another alternative playstyle is to combine Knight with Protective Companion and just let your Companion Spirit take the dodge action every turn while redirecting attacks to itself. You can keep a concentration effect going as well, in this case. In terms of roleplay, your mount makes you hard to hit while you dish out damage. The damage from the blade cantrips when their secondary damage procs is actually slightly higher than the damage of your Companion Spirit, but you lose out on the secondary effect of your Empower Companion feature. > > If I got the numerical fine-tuning right, then no one strategy should be strictly superior to the other, and it can be effective to switch between these tactics depending on the situation. ##### Skilled Companion Your Companion Spirit gets proficiency in three skills of your choice, and expertise in one skill of your choice in which it has proficiency. ##### Mobile Companion When you give your Companion Spirit a corporeal form, its speed increases by 10ft and it gains a climbing speed and a swimming speed equal to its walking speed. Starting at level 10 it also gains a flying speed equal to twice its walking speed. \columnbreak ##### Protective Companion When a creature mounted on your Companion Spirit is targeted with an attack, the Companion Spirit may use its reaction to force the attack to target itself instead. Additionally, the Companion Spirit is always under the effects of the Taunt option of Empower Companion, even if it was not Empowered that turn. > ##### Balance Note: Protective Companion > A Spiritualist has poor defenses. Besides the taunt mechanic that is built into the Companion Spirit, there are multiple ways for a Spirit Caller to improve their survivability: The Spirit Boon Protective Companion is the easiest and most thorough way to do it. The Spirit Boon Knight gives armor and shield proficiencies, but it does not prevent an enemy from attacking you and breaking your concentration on a spell, so you will need Improved Concentration as well. Another way is to give the Companion Spirit the Sentinel feat. This does not directly protect you, but it gives the Companion Spirit a free reaction attack each time you are attacked, which strongly discourages attacking you in melee. ##### Breath Attack Your Companion Spirit gains a breath attack. When you give your Companion Spirit a corporeal form, you may choose to infuse it with one element of your choice, choosing from among fire, cold, acid, poison, lightning, thunder, radiant, necrotic, force, and psychic. If you also have Infused Companion then the damage type you select for that feature must match the damage type selected for this feature. Your Companion Spirit gains the following action: Exhale destructive energy in a 15-foot cone. Roll a number of D8 for damage equal to half your Spiritualist level (rounded up). Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, a creature takes damage of the chosen type equal to the amount rolled. On a successful save it takes half damage. At 9th level, the area of effect becomes a 30-foot cone. Your Companion Spirit can use this ability once and can't use this feature again until it finishes a short rest. You may use this ability again before then by expending Spirit Charges. This costs 3 Spirit Charges the first time, and one more on every subsequent use, resetting on a short rest. ##### Powerful Companion Requires Level 5 If you use the attack action on your turn, your Companion Spirit may use its action to take the attack action. When you empower your companion, it gains the Extra Attack feature until the end of the turn. \pagebreak ##### Improved Summons Requires Level 5 Whenever you cast a spell that summons, creates or animates one or more creatures using a spell slot, the creatures' weapon attacks count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. ##### Greater Improved Summons Requires Level 9, requires Improved Summons Whenever you cast a spell that summons, creates or animates one or more creatures using a spell slot, you can increase the spell's level by one, up to a maximum equal to your highest level spell slot. > ##### Balance Note: Summons > Improved Summons and Greater Improved Summons enable an alternate play style to the armored knight mentioned above. You try to stay out of combat and let others fight on your behalf. You use Empower Companion on every turn while having a summoning spell active that is more powerful than normal. Your summoning spells' level can't exceed your normal maximum, but you can use lower-level slots to get the same value as higher-level slots. This means you can more freely use your summons to tank and take damage on your behalf, since they are less costly for you to replace. This is a very powerful ability, but it costs you two Spirit Boons to get, which is a heavy investment. It's also important to note that your are still limited by Primed Casting and won't be able to replace any dead summons in the middle of combat. ##### Share Spells Requires Level 7 When you cast a spell targeting only yourself, you can have it affect your Companion Spirit instead if it is within 30 feet of you. Starting at 15th level, when you cast a spell targeting only yourself, you can affect both yourself and the Companion Spirit with the spell if it is within 30 feet of you. In either case, if the spell is a concentration spell, you also have to make concentration checks when the Spirit Companion takes damage as if you had taken the damage yourself. If the spell is affecting both of you and both of you take damage from the same source at the same time, you only have to make one concentration check, the DC of which is based on whichever of you took more damage. \columnbreak > ##### Balance Note: Share Spells > Share Spells is similar to a feature of the Beast Master Ranger, or the Find Steed spell. It is unfortunately left ambiguous by the designers what exactly counts as "targeting only yourself". Technically, Wish targets only yourself. Does that mean that a Bard who took Find Greater Steed through Magical Secrets can effectively cast Wish twice per day, if his Pegasus steed is the one who speaks the second Wish? To prevent abuse cases like this, I have split the ability in two. At lower levels you can only target either yourself or your Companion Spirit. At higher levels, where balance breaks down and needs DM adjudication anyway, you can target both with one casting. ##### Adjustable Form Requires Level 7 When you cast Polymorph or a similar spell on your Companion Spirit, you can ignore its Immutable Form ability and treat its CR as equal to your level. While Your Companion Spirit is transformed by a Polymorph effect you cast, it is not limited in the actions it can take. When you transform the Companion Spirit with True Polymorph and the effect becomes permanent, the effect ends once it dies, allowing it to become incorporeal again. ##### Infused Companion Requires Level 12 When your Companion Spirit becomes corporeal, you may infuse it with one element of your choice, choosing from among fire, cold, acid, poison, lightning, thunder, radiant, necrotic, force, and psychic. It gains resistance to damage of the chosen type. Additionally, it deals +1d8 extra damage of the chosen type when it hits with a weapon attack. ##### Connected Companion Requires Level 18, requires Share Spells The distance your Companion Spirit can have from you without losing its corporeal form grows to one mile. While it is within that distance to yourself, you are psychically connected to it. You can share each others' senses and communicate telepathically. Your Empower Companion ability no longer has a range limitation. Additionally, when you cast a spell, you may cast it as if it originated from your Companion Spirit instead of yourself. \pagebreak ### Shaman Shamans are the ultimate spellcasters when they have the time to prepare. They can concentrate on two spells at once. > ##### Balance Note > This subclass's unique ability is the ability to run two concentration spells at the same time. The subclass also gets some features to make the requirement to Prime spells less restrictive, but it never becomes as flexible as a normal caster. It relies on having access to a very diverse spell list to make up for this. > > The concentration mechanic is one of the core design principles of D&D 5e. Because of this, this subclass could accidentally become stronger than intended. It's likely that there are some very strong combinations of concentration spells, and if you take a two level dip into Fighter you can even use Action Surge to cast both spells in the same round. A combo of Sickening Radiance + Wall of Force for example can kill almost anything. > > Before you allow this subclass at the table, be sure to discuss between DM and players how you want to handle balancing particularly powerful combinations of spells. > > Barring such abuse cases, I believe that this subclass is reasonably well balanced for normal play. #### Dual Concentration At 3rd level you learn to perform two difficult feats of magic at once by offloading some of the strain to the spirits. You can concentrate on priming or maintaining two spells at once if both are from this class. The two spells may be the same. You may prime two spells, prime one spell and concentrate on one spell, or concentrate on two spells. Whenever you would make a concentration check while you are concentrating on two spells, make a concentration check for each of the spells separately. At the beginning of your turn in combat, if you are concentrating on maintaining (not priming) more than one spell effect, you must immediately spend your action to maintain the concentration. If you don't, choose one of the spells to end. Outside of combat, maintaining concentration on two spells is much less distracting. You can still move and talk freely while doing so, and can even take a short rest while concentrating on both spells. \columnbreak #### Powerful Cantrips At 3rd level, you achieve greater mastery over the basics of magic. When you deal damage with a cantrip, you may add your Wisdom modifier to one instance of its damage to one of its targets. Starting at 5th Level, if you have at least one spell primed, the damage bonus is twice your Wisdom modifier instead. Once you have dealt this bonus damage you can not deal it again until the start of your next turn. > ##### Balance Note: Powerful Cantrips > You gain extra cantrip damage because you are much less flexible than other spellcasters. Once you have cast your two primed spells, that's it for the rest of the combat. Later on you gain a feature to let you cast spells normally by expending Spirit Charges, but this is expensive and cantrips are much more important for you than for other full casters. > > The scaling cantrip damage adds an element of tactical depth: If you keep one spell primed without using it, you deal greatly increased damage, but that means having only a single concentration spell running, just like other casters. It also encourages you to prime a second spell that is situationally useful, instead of a spell to open combat with, as most players normally do. Otherwise you won't get the second damage increase. > > Note that the damage of this character is slightly less than a Warlock until level 10, after which point Eldritch Blast leaves it behind completely. > > At lower levels, this damage bonus is useful and necessary to balance out the restrictions of Primed Casting. At higher levels, you are generally better off running two concentration spells at the same time instead. \pagebreak #### Spontaneous Casting At 6th level, you gain a new option for spending Spirit Charges. You may cast any spell you have prepared without priming it first by expending a number of Spirit Charges equal to one plus the level at which you are casting the spell. You still need to expend a spell slot as well. > ##### Balance Note: Spontaneous Casting > This ability lets the Shaman get closer to the flexibility of a normal caster, but both the number of Spirit Charges you get for free on a short rest, and the maximum number of charges you can spend per turn, are very restrictive. > > A single Shield or Healing Word already costs two charges. You can't even cast a level 3 spell this way until your proficiency bonus reaches 4, at level 9. The recommended way to play is to use two concentration spells and cast cantrips, and save your Spirit Charges for emergencies. > > There is one situation where this ability to ignore the priming requirement does get very powerful, but that is exactly the sort of situation that a Spiritualist is designed to be best at: When you have time to scout, plan and prepare, and can show up to a boss fight with full resources. You can now cast two concentration spells before combat, and can feel free to spend all of your remaining spell slots on Spirit Charges, so that you can fight like a normal caster as well. #### Shared Concentration At 14th level, you learn more effective ways to share your magic with others. As reaction when you cast a concentration spell, you can touch a willing target and transfer control of the spell to them, provided that the spell's level is no higher than half the creature's level or challenge rating (rounded up). The target concentrates on the spell instead of you. The targets of the transferred spell and its other parameters remain unchanged. Even though the target maintains concentration instead of you, you may use a bonus action to end the spell as if they dropped concentration. You can only have one concentration spell active with this feature at a time. \columnbreak #### Boons of the Shaman The following Spirit Boons are restricted to the Shaman subclass. ##### Diverse Magic When you prepare spells, you may prepare an additional number of them equal to your proficiency bonus. ##### Enhanced Concentration Requires Level 5 If you have two concentration spells active whose combined level does not exceed your highest level spell slot, you no longer need to use your action every turn to maintain concentration. > ##### Balance Note: Enhanced Concentration > You can now use cantrips, or perform other actions, while concentrating on two spells. > > Casting levelled spells while you are using both of your concentration slots this way is possible, but will consume Spirit Charges very quickly, forcing you to spend extra spell slots to fuel them. ##### Greater Enhanced Concentration Requires Level 12, requires Enhanced Concentration Replaces Enhanced Concentration with a superior effect: If you have two concentration spells active whose combined level does not exceed your highest level spell slot plus your proficiency bonus, you no longer need to use your action every turn to maintain concentration. > ##### Balance Note > The Shaman subclass does not have many subclass-specific Spirit Boons, because you are meant to take a lot of instances of Expanded Casting instead, to become the most diverse possible caster. Improved Concentration and Extra Spirit Charges are also recommended. \pagebreak ##### Well-planned Opening Requires Level 15 If you have two concentration spells primed that both have a casting time of one action or bonus action, you may use an action to cast both of them on the same turn. They take effect one after the other. > ##### Balance Note: Well-planned Opening > This ability rewards creativity and planning ahead. Some combinations of concentration spells can end an encounter in the first round. > > Of course, if something unexpected happens, you may find yourself with the wrong spells primed, and suddenly you are in deep trouble. > > At this level of play, balance is very DM dependent and creature CR ratings are no reliable guide. ##### Imbuement Requires Level 18 You can cast a spell with a range of self with a range of touch instead. The target has to be a willing creature. Any effects the spell would normally apply to yourself are applied to the target instead. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. \columnbreak ### Witch Witches use debilitating Hexes to weaken their enemies, enabling their allies to kill them. > ##### Balance Note: > **Warning: This subclass has not been playtested yet, and may be very unbalanced.** > > This subclass uses a unique mechanic for combat, which focuses on weakening enemies through the use of Hexes. Hexes are basically cantrips that deal no damage at all, but apply very strong status effects, comparable to low-level spells. Hexes are to Vicious Mockery what Eldritch Blast is to Fire Bolt. This is very much a support class, as you have almost no way to deal damage in combat, but can set enemies up for your allies to knock them down. > > This class does not have any good points of comparison because it is very different from existing classes. It plays a little bit similar to an Eloquence Bard who focuses on crowd control spells. The Eloquence Bard can use his Bardic Inspiration to reduce an enemy's saving throw, and his spell slots to cast debilitating spells. The Witch can instead cast weaker debilitating spells at will, and expend Spirit Charges and spell slots to reduce enemy saving throws. Instead of getting more powerful control spells, higher level class features allow the Witch to boost her existing repertoire. A Witch can reliably control the battlefield in small fights without expending any resources, but an Eloquence Bard who goes all out and expends his resources is much more effective. This is not a very strong comparison though, as the two classes are only very vaguely similar. > > Note that Hexes are single-target abilities. This makes the Witch more effective against a small number of powerful enemies than against a larger number of weaker ones. #### Witch's utensils At 3rd level, you gain proficiency with Herbalism kit and the Poisoner's kit. If you already have proficiency in any of these tools, you may pick another tool proficiency instead for each of them you already have. \pagebreak #### Witch Boons and Spells At 3rd level, you you may select two of the following Spirit Boons to gain for free. If you later exchange Spirit Boons, you must always keep at least two from this list. * Ritual Focus * Expanded Casting (Divination) * Expanded Casting (Enchantment) * Expanded Casting (Illusion) * Expanded Casting (Necromancy) Additionally, the following spells are added to your spell list: ##### 1st Level * Find Familiar * Identify * Ray of Sickness ##### 3rd Level * Bestow Curse * Lightning Bolt * Counterspell ##### 4th Level * Phantasmal Killer ##### 5th Level * Contact Other Plane ##### 6th Level * Eyebite #### Hexes At 3rd level, you get access to Hexes. Unless specified otherwise, treat hexes as cantrips with a casting time of one action and verbal and somatic casting components. It targets one creature you can see, and its range is 60 feet. It is always prepared and does not count against the number of cantrips you know. If a Hex requires a Saving Throw, it uses your Spell Save DC. See the end of this class description for the list of available Hexes. You get the Mark Hex and three other Hexes of your choice. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Hexes you know and replace it with another Hex for which you meet the requirements. You may not exchange the Mark Hex. > ##### Balance Note > The Witch gets a number of Spirit Boons and individual spells for free because they are thematically appropriate but are not found on the Druid Spell list. This is balanced by the Witch's high demand for additional Hexes, which can be obtained with the Spirit Boon Extra Hex. \columnbreak #### Enhanced Hexes At 6th level, you gain a new option for spending Spirit Charges. When a creature passes a saving throw against one of your Hexes or the Bestow Curse spell, you may expend any number of Spirit Charges and subtract that number from the creature's saving throw, potentially causing it to fail. #### Mastery of Hexes At 14th level, you gain two additional Hexes. #### Boons of the Witch The following Spirit Boons are restricted to the Witch subclass. ##### Extra Hex You get one additional Hex. Can be taken multiple times. ##### Subtle Hexes Requires Level 5 The Mark Hex no longer requires verbal or somatic components, but you can't talk at the same time while you are casting it. It can now be applied to a number of creatures equal to half your proficiency bonus (rounded up) at the same time. If you would exceed this limit, choose an existing Mark to end. Additionally, you gain the ability to cast a Hex or the Bestow Curse spell targeting any number of creatures with your Mark with one casting, provided that all targets are otherwise valid targets. This casting does not require verbal or somatic components until after the effect takes hold, so the targets will not notice that they should attack you while you are casting, but they will notice that you were the source once the effect hits. If a creatures is surprised, extend the duration of the Hex on that creature by one round. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest. \pagebreak > ##### Design Intent: Subtle Hexes > The intent of Subtle Hexes is that if you can manage to engage enemies in conversation or spy on them before hostilities break out, then you can Mark them one by one without being detected, and then initiate combat with a massive advantage. This even works if you are in a tense standoff where both sides are expecting the other to attack. In this case you normally couldn't get a surprise round, but this effect is undetectable until after it takes hold. > > The mechanics here are a bit weird because many Hexes last only one round and would be wasted if the enemy is surprised anyway. The recommended way to handle this situation is as follows: > > First apply all Marks. Then roll initiative and determine who is surprised, as described in the PhB. Nobody gets to perform or ready any action before this. If there was a standoff, then the Witch will be the only one who isn't surprised, since it was her who spontaneously broke the standoff. If it was a social situation without a standoff and the Witch's party was expecting her to do this, then the Witch's party is also not surprised. In either case, the Witch has to spend her action on her first turn to cast a Hex targeting the Marked targets. If this hits any target who is still surprised and who comes after the Witch in the turn order, then the duration of the Hex on that creature gets extended by one round, skipping any saving throws against the Hex that the creature could normally make at the end of a turn. ##### Sympathetic Magic Requires Level 9 You can sense the direction and distance of any creature you have marked. If you cast the Scrying spell targeting a creature marked by you, you may treat the creature as 'Familiar' for the purposes of that spell and the spell does not require concentration (it lasts its full duration). Additionally, if you possess an item from a person you have marked, you can cast spells on them remotely by using it to tell the spirits who to target with the spell. Objects the target owns, such as clothing, work for this purpose only if they are important to the person or to society at large in some manner. Body parts, such as hair or a drop of blood, generally work. If you possess such an object, you may ignore the range limitation on a Hex or the Bestow Curse spell against the target, although you must still be able to see them, for example through the use of the Scrying spell. When you use this feature, it can not be used against the same target again for 24 hours. \columnbreak > ##### Balance Note: Sympathetic Magic > You can combine Mark Hex, the Scrying Spell and an upcast Bestow Curse spell to apply a long-lasting, extremely debilitating effect on a target from afar without even being detected. This can be useful as a preparatory step for an attack, or just to make the target's life a living hell. It's an expensive investment of Spirit Boons and spell slots, but it can significantly help in boss fights against known targets. The usefulness of this depends heavily on the campaign. In a dungeon crawl, it's pointless. In a political game, it's invaluable. ##### Propagating Hexes Requires Level 5 When a target under the effect of one of your Hexes dies, you gain the ability to cast that Hex again as a bonus action until the end of your next turn. ##### Persistent Hexes Requires Level 12 When you cast a Hex that normally lasts until the end of your next turn, it instead lasts for one minute. If that Hex allows the target an initial saving throw, they may repeat that saving throw at the end of each of your turns to end the effect. > ##### Balance Note: Persistent Hexes > Some weaker Hexes don't require saving throws. Persistent Hexes allows you to stack these. This allows you to draw out a difficult encounter, making the fight easier with every subsequent turn. ##### Overwhelming Hex Requires Level 18 You may affect a number of targets equal to your proficiency bonus with a single casting of a Hex. Select one of the targets to have disadvantage on its initial saving throw. You may use this ability a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. \pagebreak #### Hexes The following is a list of Hexes available to the Witch subclass. ##### Mark Hex You apply a Mark to a target that makes it easier to affect the target with other hexes. The Mark lasts until you mark another target or until it is dispelled with a Dispel Magic spell or similar effect. If you cast Bestow Curse on a marked target, you may treat its range as 60ft. The target has disadvantage on its initial saving throw against your Hexes and Bestow Curse. If a Hex targeting it uses your Witch level you may treat it as two levels higher. This does not apply to beneficial Hexes such as Bolstering Hex. ##### Sleep Hex Roll a number of d8 equal to 2 plus half your witch level (rounded up). If the creature's hit points are lower or equal to the amount rolled, it falls unconscious until it takes damage, or someone uses an action to shake or slap the sleeper awake. Undead and creatures immune to being charmed aren’t affected by this spell. ##### Weakening Hex The first time the target would deal damage before the end of your next turn, reduce that damage by your Witch level plus your Wisdom modifier. If you have the Spirit Boon Persistent Hexes, this effect refreshes at the start of each of your turns. ##### Debilitating Hex Until the end of your next turn, whenever the target makes an attack roll or a saving throw, you may roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled from the attack roll or saving throw. ##### Bolstering Hex Give an ally temporary hitpoints equal to your Witch level. A number of creatures up to your proficiency bonus can be under this effect simultaneously. If you target another creature beyond that limit, choose one of the existing targets to end this effect on it. ##### Entangling Hex Requires Level 5 The target has to succeed on a DEX save or become restrained. It may use its action to make a Strength (Athletics) check to attempt to escape. Once a target has succeeded on a saving throw against this Hex or a check to escape the restraints, it becomes immune to this Hex for 24 hours. \columnbreak ##### Disrupting Hex Requires Level 5 The target has to succeed on a Charisma Saving Throw or be unable to cast spells and have disadvantage on all attacks, ability checks and saving throws it makes until the end of your next turn. ##### Frightening Hex Requires Level 5 The target has to succeed on a Wisdom Saving Throw or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn. If it is frightened in this way, it has to spend its movement on its turn to move as far away from you as possible. It doesn’t move into obviously dangerous ground, such as a fire or a pit. It can still take actions, bonus actions and reactions, but only after it has finished moving. Once a target has succeeded on a saving throw against this Hex, it becomes immune to this Hex for 24 hours. ##### Stunning Hex Requires Level 5 The target has to succeed on a Constitution Saving Throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn. Once a target has succeeded on a saving throw against this Hex, it becomes immune to this Hex for 24 hours. ##### Slowing Hex Requires Level 5 The target has to succeed on a Wisdom Saving Throw or be affected by this Hex until the end of your next turn. The affected target’s speed is halved, it takes a −2 penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws, and it can’t use reactions. On its turn, it can use either an action or a bonus action, not both. Regardless of the creature’s abilities or magic items, it can’t make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn. If the creature attempts to cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action, roll a d20. On an 11 or higher, the spell doesn’t take effect until the creature’s next turn, and the creature must use its action on that turn to complete the spell. If it can’t, the spell is wasted. \pagebreak > ##### Balance Note: Hexes > Hexes are quite powerful, and some of them are comparable to low-level control spells, or are weaker single-target, one-round versions of more powerful control spells. > > Note for comparison that a fully kitted Eldritch Blast, which is the equivalent of Hexes for the Warlock, is also more powerful than low-level damage spells, and contains control elements as well. > > The Hexes with a requirement of being level 5 or higher are quite similar to each other, but they target different saving throws, so it's useful to have several of them. The stronger of them also can't be used twice against the same target, so having backups is useful. > > Note that Debilitating Hex and Disrupting Hex reduce enemy Saving Throws, which includes Hexes. This can be used to stack Hexes more effectively. \pagebreak ## Feats #### Extra Spirit Boon Requires Spiritualist level 2 The number of Spirit Boons you can have increases by one. ## Multiclassing If you multiclass Spiritualist with other spell casters, the following limitation applies: You can cast a non-Spiritualist spell only up to a level that you would also have access to if you did not have any levels in Spiritualist. You may expend a spell slot of a higher level, but this will not increase the level of the spell beyond that limit. For example: Let's say you have 3 levels of Cleric and 6 levels of Spiritualist. You have Bless prepared as a Cleric, but not as a Spiritualist. You have Conjure Animals prepared as a Spiritualist, but not as a Cleric. Then you can cast Conjure Animals up to level 5 as normal, but you can only cast Bless up to level 2, even if you expend a spell slot of level 3 or higher on it. > ##### Balance Note > This rule is in place to prevent players from bypassing the Primed Casting requirement by using spells from other classes that can be upcast efficiently. > Despite this, one level of Cleric is a good multiclass combination because of the armor and shield proficiencies, the domain features, and the ability to cast Healing Word using your first-level spell slots. However, this dip into Cleric also slows down the spell progression by one level, which is a huge deal. > ##### Fan Content Policy > Content is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.