Creating an Artist

Artists can represent many different types of characters from a variety of (non-magic) backgrounds. Many of those are what you would expect from the name of the class - musicians, painters, sculptors and the like. But orators, negotiators or counsellors are also concepts that can work well with this class, as long as the characters are focused on social skills, encouraging or influencing others.

Origins

As non-casters, Artists in FF6 may be taken by characters with non-magic origins or half-espers. Magi or Magitek-infused characters may also take the class, although it will not be representative of their magical nature or Magitek-infused powers. Being intrinsically linked to magic, Espers normally do not take non-magic classes, so the Mystic Artist or the Muse are better fits for them.

Example Characters

Relm Arrowny (FF6) is an example of an Artist in FF6 games. She does not learn Magic without using Espers, and their pictomancy could be represented as otherwordly artistic abilities that are not outght magic. That said, being a descendant of the Magi and being a very strong magic user when she does learn magic, she might be better represented as a Mystic Artist.

The Bard job (FF3, FF5, FFT) and bards such as Edward (FF4) depend mostly on their songs rather than magic, and thus could be well represented by the Artist class.

Hit Points

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

Proficiencies

• Armor: Light Armour
• Weapons: Simple weapons, longswords, rapiers, shortswords
• Tools: Choose 3 among the following: Calligrapher's Supplies, Glassblower's Tools, Jeweller's Tools, Mason's Tools, Painter's Supplies, Potter's Tools, Weaver's Tools, Woodcarver's Tools, or any Musical Instrument.

• Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
• Skills: Choose any 3.

Equipment

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

• (a) a rapier, (b) a longsword, or (c) any simple weapon.
• (a) a shortbow and a quiver of 20 arrows, (b) a light crossbow and a quiver of 20 bolts, or (c) a sling and 20 bullets.
• (a) a diplomat's pack or (b) an entertainer's pack.
• (a) an instrument of your choice or (b) a set of artisan's tools you are proficient in.
• Leather armour and a dagger

Alternatively, you may start with 5d4 x 10 gp to buy your own equipment.

Artistic Inspiration

Beginning at 1st level, you can inspire others through your art. To do so, you use a bonus action on your turn to choose one creature other than yourself within 60 feet of you who can hear you. That creature gains one Artistic Inspiration die, a d6.

Once within the next 10 minutes, the creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use the Artistic Inspiration die, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. Once the Artistic Inspiration die is rolled, it is lost. A creature can have only one Artistic Inspiration die at a time.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus. You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Your Artistic Inspiration die changes when you reach certain levels in this class. The die becomes a d8 at 5th level, a d10 at 10th level, and a d12 at 15th level.

Artistic Performance

Beginning at 1st level, you can use your artistic talents to deliver moving performances that empower allies and weaken foes. As an action, you can expend one use of Artistic Inspiration and begin your performance. Choose a type of performance: visual (painting, showing pieces you have created, silent theatre, etc) or acoustic (music, oratory, or similar). If you choose a visual performance, you must have the appropriate Artisan's Tools or artworks you created, and you affect creatures who can see you within 30 ft of you. If you choose an acoustic performance, you affect creatures who can hear you within 30ft of you.

You must maintain concentration while performing (as if you were concentrating on a spell). You may continue your performance for up to 1 minute. You know one type of performance when you first learn this ability:

Omen of Defeat. When you or an allied creature deal damage during their turn while affected by your Performance, you may use your Reaction to expend one Artistic Inspiration die, roll it and add the result as bonus damage.

Sharp Criticism

Beginning at 1st level, your bitter critical remarks of others' works or actions can cause great damage to others' confidence. You learn the Vicious Mockery cantrip. Using the Sharp Criticism feature to cast Vicious Mockery doesn't count as casting a spell, as it comes from your snappy critical remarks rather than a magical effect.

Jack of All Trades

Starting at 2nd level, you can add half your proficiency bonus, rounded down, to any ability check you make that doesn't already include your proficiency bonus.

Quick Wits

Starting at 2nd level, your quick thinking allows you to get out of trouble or use your talents even in a pinch. You can use a Bonus Action to take the Disengage Action or use a Skill you are Proficient in.

Magical Inspiration

If a creature has an Artistic Inspiration die from you and casts a spell that restores hit points or deals damage, the creature can roll that die and choose a target affected by the spell. Add the number rolled as a bonus to the hit points regained or the damage dealt. The Artistic Inspiration die is then lost.

Artistic Tradition

At 3rd level, you start to develop advanced techniques linked to an Artistic Tradition. The list of available Artistic Traditions can be found at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 11th and 15th level.

Artful Duellist

While some artists devote their life's path to the visual arts, others to music, and others yet to theatre and other performing arts, there are some that dedicate their artistic endeavours to a mix of bodily training, practiced movements that are almost dance-like, and a variety of daring feats of physical and weapon prowess. These artists entertain their audiences with stunts such as sword swallowing, knife throwing, juggling and mock combats - but also more serious duelling, which makes them skilled warriors in their own right.

The duels staged, organised and fought by these more martially oriented artists are rarely meant to cause grievous harm or be fought to death - although accidents happen. And while many duellist masters are very strict teachers and instruct their apprentices to refrain from using their talents for questionable ends, there is no shortage of stories about knife throwers or performatic fighters in performer troupes who would have turned their talents to nefarious ends. How many of those stories is true is impossible to know, but that is enough to make some settlements wary of such artists.

Motes of Potential

When you take this Artistic Tradition at 3rd level, whenever you give a creature an Artistic Inspiration die, you can draw on Spark of Creation to create a Tiny mote of potential, which orbits within 5 feet of that creature. The mote is intangible and invulnerable, and it lasts until the Artistic Inspiration die is lost. The mote looks like a musical note, a star, a flower, or another symbol of art or life that you choose.

When the creature uses the Artistic Inspiration die, the mote provides an additional effect based on whether the die benefits an ability check, an attack roll, or a saving throw, as detailed below:

Ability Check. When the creature rolls the Artistic Inspiration die to add it to an ability check, the creature can roll the Artistic Inspiration die again and choose which roll to use, as the mote pops and emits colorful, harmless sparks for a moment.

Attack Roll. Immediately after the creature rolls the Artistic Inspiration die to add it to an attack roll against a target, the mote thunderously shatters. The target and each creature of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against a DC equal to 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Charisma or take thunder damage equal to the number rolled on the Artistic Inspiration die.

Saving Throw. Immediately after the creature rolls the Artistic Inspiration die and adds it to a saving throw, the mote vanishes with the sound of soft music or fading, beautiful image, causing the creature to gain temporary hit points equal to the number rolled on the Artistic Inspiration die plus your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1 temporary hit point).

Performance of Creation

Also at 3rd level, as an action, you can channel Sparks of Creation to create one nonmagical item of your choice in an unoccupied space within 10 feet of you. The item must appear on a surface or in a liquid that can support it. The gp value of the item can't be more than 20 times your Artist level, and the item must be Medium or smaller. The item glimmers softly, and a creature can faintly hear music or see colourful images on its mind when touching it. The created item disappears after a number of hours equal to your proficiency bonus. For examples of items you can create, see the equipment chapter of the Player's Handbook.

You create items with this feature a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and recover all uses when you finish a Long Rest. You can have only one item created by this feature at a time; if you use this action and already have an item from this feature, the first one immediately vanishes.

The size of the item you can create with this feature increases by one size category when you reach 7th level (Large) and 15th level (Huge).

Animating Performance

Starting at 7th level, as an Action, you can animate one Large or smaller nonmagical item within 30 feet of you that isn't being worn or carried. The animate item uses the Dancing Item stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB), chancing all references to your bard level to your artist level. Whenever the stat block references your Spell Attack modifier, use your Proficiency Bonus + your Charisma modifier instead. The item is friendly to you and your companions and obeys your commands. It lives for 1 hour, until it is reduced to 0 hit points, or until you die.

In combat, the item shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its Reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a Bonus Action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. If you are incapacitated, the item can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.

You can command the item as part of the same bonus action you use for your Artistic Inspiration or Backhanded Comment features.

You can animate an item with this feature a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and recover all uses when you finish a Long Rest. You can have only one item animated by this feature at a time; if you use this action and already have a dancing item from this feature, the first one immediately becomes inanimate.

Lasting Creations

Starting at 11th level, when you use your Animating Performance feature, the animate item's Hit Points are increased by your Artist level (to a total of 10 + six times your Artist level).

Creative Crescendo

Starting at 15th level, when you use your Performance of Creation feature, you can create more than one item at once. The number of items equals your Charisma modifier (minimum of two items). If you create an item that would exceed that number, you choose which of the previously created items disappears. Only one of these items can be of the maximum size you can create; the rest must be Small or Tiny.

You are no longer limited by gp value when creating items with Performance of Creation.

Silver Tongue

When you take this Tradition at 3rd level, you become a master at saying the right thing at the right time. When you make a Charisma (Persuasion) or Charisma (Deception) check, you can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10.

Unsettling Words

Also at 3rd level, can spin words laced with the right emotions to unsettle a creature and cause it to doubt itself. As a Bonus Action, you can expend one use of your Artistic Inspiration and choose one creature you can see within 60 feet of you. Roll the Artistic Inspiration die. The creature must subtract the number rolled from the next saving throw it makes before the start of your next turn.

Unfailing Inspiration

Starting at 7th level, your inspiring words are so persuasive that others feel driven to succeed. When a creature adds one of your Artistic Inspiration dice to its ability check, attack roll, or saving throw and the roll fails, the creature can keep the Artistic Inspiration die.

Universal Speech

Also at 7th level, you have gained the ability to make your speech intelligible to any creature. As an action, choose one or more creatures within 60 feet of you, up to a number equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one creature). The chosen creatures can magically understand you, regardless of the language you speak, for 1 hour.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of twice). You recover all uses when you take a Long Rest.

Always the Right Words

Starting at 11th level, the words you add to your Artistic Performances convince your allies of their success even in the direst circumstances. Whenever you spend an Artistic Inspiration die to add bonus damage to your or an allied creature's damage with your Omen of Defeat Artistic Performance, or to increase your or an allied creature's AC due to your Eulogy of Life Artistic Performance, you may roll the Artistic Inspiration die twice and choose which result to use.

Infections Inspiration

Starting at 15th level, when you successfully inspire someone, the power of your eloquence can now spread to someone else. When a creature within 60 feet of you adds one of your Artistic Inspiration dice to its ability check, attack roll, or saving throw and the roll succeeds, you can use your Reaction to encourage a different creature (other than yourself) that can hear you within 60 feet of you, giving it an Artistic Inspiration die without expending any of your Artistic Inspiration uses.

You can use this Reaction a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you become an Eulogist at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with medium armor, shields, and martial weapons.

Combat Inspiration

Also at 3rd level, you learn to inspire others in battle. A creature that has an Artistic Inspiration die from you can roll that die and add the number rolled to a weapon damage roll it just made. Alternatively, when an attack roll is made against the creature, it can use its Reaction to roll the Artistic Inspiration die and add the number rolled to its AC against that attack, after seeing the roll but before knowing whether it hits or misses. If you use your own Reaction to increase damage using your Omen of Defeat Artistic Performance, or to increase an ally's AC using your Eulogy of Life Artistic Performance, the bonus stacks with those granted by Combat Inspiration.

Fighting Style

At 7th level, you adopt a style of fighting as your specialty. You can choose any of the Fighting Styles allowed to Fighters. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if something in the game lets you choose again.

Epitome of Valour

Starting at 11th level, when a creature rolls an Artistic Inspiration die from you, you may choose to add a bonus equal to your Charisma to the result. You may do this a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and recover all uses of this ability when you finish a Long Rest.

Words and Deeds

Also at 11th level, you may grant Artistic Inspiration dice to yourself. These dice can only be spent to use the options described in your Combat Inspiration feature.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you become a Folklorist at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with three skills of your choice.

Cutting Words

Also at 3rd level, you learn how to use your wit to distract, confuse and otherwise sap the confidence and competence of others. When a creature that you can see within 60 ft of you makes an Attack Roll, an Ability Check, or a Damage Roll, you can use your reaction to expend one of your uses of Artistic Inspiration, rolling an Artistic Inspiration die and subtracting the number rolled from the creature's roll. You can choose to use this feature after the creature makes its roll, but before the DM determines whether the attack roll or ability check succeeds or fails, or before the creature deals its damage. The creature is immune if it can't hear you or if it's immune to being charmed.

This effect stacks with those of the Artistic Performance Warden's Praise. If you use a reaction to activate the Artistic Performance Eulogy of Life, you can choose to use the same reaction to spend another use of Artistic Inspiration and activate Cutting Words at the same time.

Folk Tales

Starting at 7th level, your study of folk tales and stories give you access to abilities forgotten by most. Choose two 1st or 2nd-level spells or cantrips from any spell list. If you choose a cantrip, you learn it and can cast it normally. You can cast each chosen spell of 1st level or higher twice. You recover all uses of this ability when you finish a Long Rest.

Myths and Legends

Starting at 11th level, your studies grant you access to more long-forgotten abilities. Choose two cantrips or 1st, 2nd or 3rd level spells from any spell list. If you choose a cantrip, you learn it and can cast it normally. You can cast each chosen spell of 1st level or higher once. If you choose the same spell twice, you can use it two times. You recover all uses of this ability when you finish a Long Rest.

Peerless Skill

Starting at 15th level, when you make an ability check, you can expend one use of Bardic Inspiration. Roll a Bardic Inspiration die and add the number rolled to your ability check. You can choose to do so after you roll the die for the ability check, but before the DM tells you whether you succeed or fail.

Soul-touching Repertoire

Beginning at 3rd level when you join this Tradition, you learn new Performances that touch deep into your allies or your opponents' souls. You learn two new options that can be used when you activate your Artistic Performance feature:

Nature's Gifts. At the start of your turn, all allied creatures affected by your performance recover 1d4 hit points.

Homage to Silence. When a creature affected by your performance attempts to cast a spell with verbal components or use an effect that depends on speech or sound, you may use your reaction to attempt to drown out the sound. The creature must succeed on a Charisma saving throw against a DC equal to 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Charisma modifier. On a failure, the creature becomes unable to speak or produce sound until the start of their next turn.

Encore

Beginning at 7th level, as a bonus action, you may regain two uses of Bardic Inspiration. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and regain all uses when you complete a Long Rest.

Memorable Act

Beginning at 11th level, you can use your art during a long rest to inspire your allies long after your performance has ended. At the end of a Short Rest, you can choose a number of characters other than yourself. Each chosen character receives an Artistic Inspiration die without spending any uses of your Artistic Inspiration. Each of these Artistic Inspiration dice lasts until it is used or the character who received it takes a Long Rest. A creature can still have only one Artistic Inspiration die at a time.

Art from the Soul

Beginning at 15th level, your passionate performances are remarkable even from a distance. The effective range of your Artistic Performances is increased to a 60 ft radius.

Bonus Profiiency

When you become a Poison Artist at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with the Poisoner's Kit.

Bonus Proficiency

When you become a Quipping Quiver at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with longbows.

Straight Shot

Also at 3rd level, when you roll for an attack, you may expend one of your Artistic Inspiration dice to improve the deadly accuracy of your shot. Roll the die and add the result to the attack roll. If you use this ability and the resulting sum is 20 or higher, the attack becomes a critical hit.

Hawkeye

Beginning at 7th level, you gain advantage when making perception skill checks that rely on sight. Additionally, the effective range of your ranged weapons are increased by 50ft.

Fighting Style - Archery

Also at 7th level, you learn the following Fighting Style:

Archery: You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.

If you had already learned this Fighting Style, you can choose any other Fighting Style allowed to Fighters. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if something in the game lets you choose again.

Guiding Whispers

Starting when you join this Tradition at 3rd level, you can reach out to spirits to guide you and others. You can use the guidance cantrip. Using this cantrip doesn't count as casting a spell for you, and it has a range of 60 feet when you use it.

Spiritual Focus

When you join this Tradition at 3rd level, you learn to employ tools that aid you in channeling spirits, be they historical figures or fictional archetypes. You can use the following objects as a focus for your Spiritualist abilities: a candle, crystal ball, skull, spirit board, or tarokka deck.

Starting at 7th level, once per turn when you make an attack roll or use Sharp Criticism, you gain a bonus of 1d6 to the damage dealt. If you have not used this feature yet during this round, when you or an allied creature spends an Artistic Inspiration die from you for any reason, you may activate and roll a d6. The creature who spent the Artistic Inspiration die heals hit points equal to the number rolled.

Tales from Beyond

Also at 3rd level, you learn to reach out to spirits, who tell their tales through you. While you are holding your Spiritual Focus, you can use a Bonus Action to expend one use of your Artistic Inspiration and roll on the Spirit Tales table using your Artistic Inspiration die to determine the tale the spirits direct you to tell. You retain the tale in mind until you bestow the tale's effect or you finish a Short or Long Rest.

You can use an Action to choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you (this can be you) to be the target of the tale's effect. Once you do so, you can't bestow the tale's effect again until you roll it again.

You can retain only one of these tales in mind at a time, and rolling on the Spirit Tales table immediately ends the effect of the previous tale.

If the tale requires a saving throw, the DC equals 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Charisma modifier.

Lessons from the Past

Starting at 7th level, spirits provide you with supernatural insights. You can conduct an hour-long ritual channeling spirits (which can be done during a Short or Long Rest) using your Spiritual Focus. You can conduct the ritual with a number of willing creatures equal to your proficiency bonus (including yourself). At the end of the ritual, you temporarily receive the ability to cast one spell of your choice from any class.

The spell you choose must be of a level equal to or lower than the number of creatures that conducted the ritual or less, the spell must be of a level a Muse (Bard) of your level could cast, and it must be in the school of divination or necromancy. You can cast the chosen spell twice, and you remember the spell until you start a Long Rest.

Once you perform this ritual, you can't do so again until you start a Long Rest.

More Lessons from the Past

Beginning at 11th level, when you perform the ritual described under your Lessons from the Past feature, you receive the ability to cast two spells of your choice instead of one. All conditions for choosing the spells remain the same. You can cast each of the chosen spells twice, and you remember both spells until you start a Long Rest.

Reaching Beyond the Veil

At 15th level, you gain the ability to nudge the spirits of Tales from Beyond toward certain tales. Whenever you roll on the Spirit Tales table, you can roll the die twice and choose which of the two effects to bestow. If you roll the same number on both dice, you can ignore the number and choose any effect on the table.

Psychic Blades

When you become a Subversive at 3rd level, you gain the ability to make your weapon attacks magically toxic to a creature's mind.

When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one use of your Artistic Inspiration to deal an extra 2d6 psychic damage to that target. You can do so only once per round on your turn.

The psychic damage increases when you reach certain levels in this class, increasing to 3d6 at 5th level, 5d6 at 10th level, and 8d6 at 15th level.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you become a Visionary Painter at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with Painter's Supplies. If you are already proficient with painter's supplies, choose another set of artisan's tools or a musical instrument to become proficient in.

Living Artwork

Also at 3rd level, you gain the ability to channel the essence of your soul into a piece of artwork you have created. As a Bonus Action, you can paint a creature with a CR of 1/4 or lower that you have seen in your adventures and paint it with blindingly fast speed.

On your next turn, the creature you painted appears anywhere within 20 feet of you. The creature is under your control for 1 minute, or until it is dismissed, killed or knocked unconscious. After the duration, or if it is dismissed, killed or knocked unconscious, the creature is reduced into a puddle of paint. The creature follows your commands without the need for actions.

You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you recover all uses when you finish a Long Rest.

At Higher Levels, you learn to paint more powerful creatures. At 4th level, you can paint creatures with a CR up to 1/2. At 6th level, you can paint creatures with a CR up to 1. At 10th level, you can paint creatures with a CR up to 2. At 13th level, you can paint creatures with a CR up to 3. Finally, at 18th level, you can paint creatures with a CR up to 4.

Painted Armour

At 7th level, you can paint a thick layer of paint on a willing creature that you touch with your Painter's Supplies as a Bonus Action. Upon doing this, the creature you've painted on gains a +2 bonus to its AC for 1 minute. You may do this once per Short Rest.

Faux Appearance

Also at 7th level, you can paint features on yourself and change your appearance. You can now use the Alter Self spell without the need for spell slots or material components. You can do this a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (to a minimum of 2). You recover all uses of this feature when you finish a Long Rest.

Complex Composition

Starting at 11th level, you may choose to spend two uses of your Living Artwork feature to paint two or three creatures instead of one. One of these creatures can have a CR up to the maximum you can normally paint, while the other one or two creatures may have a summed CR up to one less than that maximum.

Paint Spray

At 15th level, you gain the ability to spray thick, blinding colourful paint and ink at up to three creatures within a 25 feet cone in front of you. Any creature caught within the cone must make a Dexterity Saving Throw against a DC equal to 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Charisma modifier. On a fail, a creature becomes Blinded for 1 minute.

As an Action, you can cause the paint and ink on the skin of one of the creatures who failed their saving throw to start to boil. Doing this causes the mixture to evaporate and removes the Blinded condition, but deals 2d8 acid damage.

You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you recover all uses when you finish a Long Rest.

Virtuoso

Virtuosos are artists who mastered the performance linked to their art to unparalleled heights, specialising in bringing delight and captivating others. These artists are regarded with a mixture of awe and uneasiness. Legends of these masters tell of artists who convinced captors to release them unharmed after a single performance, or even lulled raging benemoths or furious dragons into peaceful sleep or complacency. Other legends tell of drawings and stories that could bend the minds of those who saw or heard them. How much of this is true and how much is exaggeration is anybody's guess of course.