Dusk Sentinels
The Dusk Sentinels walk the line between light and dark every day. They have accepted that there is an inherent darkness inside all humanity, but that it need not be evil. They see this the same way that the light inside need not be for the greater good. As a Dusk Sentinel, you harness that darkness, bend it to your will, and guard that line between light and dark that is so very, very thin. So pick up your sword, soldier; the realms between are calling and we will not fall this day.
Dusk Sentinel
| Level | PB | Features | Harmony Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Harmony, Fighting Style | d6 |
| 2nd | +2 | Surge, Your Blood for Mine | d6 |
| 3rd | +2 | Duty, Witchblade | d6 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | d6 |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack | d8 |
| 6th | +3 | Duty Feature | d8 |
| 7th | +3 | Discord | d8 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | d8 |
| 9th | +4 | Battle Instinct | d8 |
| 10th | +4 | Duty Feature | d10 |
| 11th | +4 | Arcane Steel | d10 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | d10 |
| 13th | +5 | ─ | d10 |
| 14th | +5 | Duty Feature | d10 |
| 15th | +5 | ─ | d12 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | d12 |
| 17th | +6 | ─ | d12 |
| 18th | +6 | Severe Discord | d12 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | d12 |
| 20th | +6 | Dark Convergence | d12 |
Class Features
As a Dusk Sentinel, you gain the following class features:
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d8 per Dusk Sentinel level
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per Dusk Sentinel level after 1st
Proficiencies
- Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Heavy Armor
- Weapons: Simple weapons, Martial weapons
- Tools: None
- Saving Throws: Charisma, Constitution
- Skills: Choose two from Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Persuasion, and Religion
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) any martial weapon (b) two simple weapons
- (a) scale mail or (b) studded leather armor
- (a) a component pouch or (b) an arcane focus
- (a) a priest’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
Optional Rule: Multiclassing
If your group uses the multiclassing rules from the Player’s Handbook, here’s what you need to know if you choose Dusk Sentinel as one of your classes.
Ability Score Minimum: As a multiclass character, you must have at least a Strength score or Dexterity score of 13 and an Charisma score of 13 to take a level in this class, or to take a level in another class if you are already a Dusk Sentinel.
Proficiencies Gained. If Dusk Sentinel isn’t your initial class, you gain the following proficiencies when you take your first level as a Dusk Sentinel: light armor, medium armor, simple weapons, martial weapons.
Harmony
You have learned to draw on both divine and arcane magic by embracing the darkness inside all humanity and channeling it to your will. This is represented by your Harmony dice, which are d6. You have a number of Ruin dice and a number of Preservation dice each equal to your level as a Dusk Sentinel, and they can never exceed that number plus your Charisma modifier. After you cast a Ruin or Preservation Art, you shift the balance and gain a die of the opposite mana type: one Preservation or one Ruin die, respectively. For example, if you use the Hoarfrost art, you would gain one Preservation die.
(For the sake of Counterspell, Magic Resistance, etc, these arts can be considered spells by the Dungeon Master.)
There are some Arts that require the cooperation of both dice, these consume but do not generate and are called Harmony Arts. When you reach certain levels in this class, the size of your Harmony dice increases: at 5th level (d8), 10th level (d10), and 15th level (d12).
Harmony DC
Harmony attack modifier
The features below use your Harmony dice, and you can only apply either one to any one spell cast.
Invested Preservation. When you cast a Preservation Art that targets one or more willing creatures (this can include yourself), you can expend a Preservation die and restore the number rolled as hit points to each target. This might not apply to all Preservation Arts.
Invested Ruin. When you cast a Ruin Art that instantaneously deals damage to one or more targets, you can expend a Ruin die and deal the number rolled as extra damage.
As an Action, you can rebalance your Harmony dice as long as you maintain the amount.
You prepare the list of Arts that are available for you to use. To do so, choose a number of Arts from the list equal to your Charisma modifier + your Dusk Sentinel level (minimum of one Art). The Arts must be of a level for which you qualify. Level requirements for arts refer to your level as a Dusk Sentinel.
If an Art lasts for more than an Instantaneous effect, you must concentrate on it, as if concentrating on a spell.
Costs in the Arts table are represented by R and P respectively, so something that costs 2R1P will require you to use 2 Ruin Dice and 1 Preservation dice to use.
Fighting Style
Starting at 1st level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the options from the below list. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again. Whenever you reach a level in this class that grants the Ability Score Improvement feature, you can replace a
fighting style you know with another fighting style available to on this list. This replacement represents a shift of focus in your martial practice.
Blind Fighting (TCE). You have blindsight with a range of 10 feet. Within that range, you can effectively see anything that isn't behind total cover, even if you're blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an invisible creature within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from you.
Defense (PHB). While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Dueling (PHB). When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
Great Weapon Fighting (PHB). When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.
Two-Weapon Fighting (PHB). When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.
Surge
At 2nd level, when your mana is perfectly balanced, it allows you to cast magic at an accelerated rate. When your number of Ruin and Preservation Harmony dice are the same, and right before you cast a spell that has a casting time of 1 action, you can expend one additional of each Harmony dice to change the casting time to 1 bonus action for this casting, called a Surge. You can only Surge skills from your Harmony lists.
Your Blood for Mine
Also at 2nd level, when you reduce a creature to zero hitpoints, you regain one Ruin or Preservation die of your choice.
Duty
At 3rd level, you choose your Shade Duty. These roles are: Abyss Knight, Blackblood, Ebontide, Twilight Fletcher, and Padfoot. This connection grants you features again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.
Witchblade
When you choose your Duty, you are granted the ability to bind your weaponry to you. You can transform one magic weapon into your Witchblade by performing a special ritual while you hold the weapon. You perform the ritual over the course of 1 hour, which can be done during a short rest. You can then dismiss the weapon, shunting it into an extradimensional space, and it appears whenever you create your Witchblade thereafter. You can’t affect an artifact or a sentient weapon in this way. You can bind two weapons if you choose the Two Weapon Fighting style. The weapon ceases being your Witchblade if you die, if you perform the 1-hour ritual on a different weapon, or if you use a 1-hour ritual to break your bond to it. The weapon appears at your feet if it is in the extradimensional space when the bond breaks. You can use your Witchblade as a Spellcasting Focus for Harmony Arts.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. If your DM allows it, you may choose a feat instead.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Discord
Beginning at 7th level, you radiate a magical aura of discordance. Whenever a hostile creature within 10 feet of you makes a saving throw against your Dark Arts, it must roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled from the result. It also suffers this effect if it makes an attack against you. This aura increases to 30 feet at level 18.
Battle Instinct
At 9th level, you can add your Charisma modifier to Initiative rolls.
Arcane Steel
At 11th level, whenever you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you deal an additional 1d6 Force, Necrotic, or Psychic (your choice) damage and regain a number of hitpoints equal to the additional damage dealt.
Realms Between
At 20th level, you reach into the depth of the dark inside all beings and pull it forth. As an Action, you can enter a convergent form. You gain temporary hitpoints equal to your maximum hitpoints, these hitpoint dissipate after 1 minute. While these hitpoints persist, you gain the following benefits:
Your Ruin and Preservation dice can always be considered their maximum value. As a Bonus Action, you can switch places with a creature you can see within 60 feet of you. If the creature is unwilling, it must make a Charisma saving throw against your Harmony Save DC to resist the swap. When you cast a Harmony art as an Action on your turn, you can make a weapon attack as a Bonus Action. As an Action, you can emit a wave of your concentrated willpower. Creatures of your choice must make a Wisdom saving throw or be consumed by their deepest fear until the end of your next turn. While suffering from this wave of discordance, they have disadvantage on their next saving throw. Creatures immune to fear are not immune to this effect. Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you complete a Long rest.
Duty Options
Abyss Knight
Abyss Knights, despite their name, are nearer a spy than a knight. They slip between shadows and obstructions, trying to remain as disconnected from the focus as possible. Their presence is always felt by their companions, even if they are rarely any kind of focal point.
Shadow Slip: At 3rd level when you choose this duty, as an action, you can become invisible and can, as part of this action, attempt to take the Hide action. The invisibility ends after 1 minute or if you make an attack or use a Knight Art.
Undetectable: At 6th level, you gain proficiency in the Stealth and Sleight of Hand skills. If you are already proficient in these, you gain expertise with that skill, which means your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with it. The skill you choose must be one that isn't already benefiting from a feature, such as Expertise, that doubles your proficiency bonus.
Shadow Specter: At 10th level, you can choose to leave a remnant of yourself when you are subjected to certain area effects, such as a red dragon’s fiery breath or a fireball spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity or Constitution saving throw you can expend 3 Preservation dice as a Reaction to teleport 30 feet to an unoccupied space that you can see, possibly avoiding the damage altogether.
Nameless: At 14th level, when you make an attack roll on an enemy that is unaware of you, your attack is considered a critical hit if it successfully hits. If the creature falls to 0 hitpoints as a result of the attack, you can use your Shadow Slip ability as a Bonus Action.
Blackblood
Blackbloods are the absolutists of the Dusk Sentinels. They are front and center in all things, seeking to control with absolute power of well. They decide where, when, and how the battle happens.
Living Weapon: At 3rd level when you choose this duty, darkness solidifies around you, granting you strength. As a Bonus Action, you can wrap one of your arms in pure void and use it as a weapon. You can treat this version of an unarmed strike as a weapon you are proficient with, it deals 1d6 + Your Strength modifier as Necrotic damage. The damage increases to 1d8 at 6th level, 1d10 at 10th level, and 2d6 at 14th level.
If you acquire a weapon with magical effects, you can absorb it into the void and use its effects as well. For example, if you find and attune to a Flametongue, your Living Weapon attacks deal an additional 2d6 Fire damage, or if you absorb a +1 weapon then your Living Weapon attacks gain the +1 bonus to hit and damage rolls. You can absorb only one weapon at a time.
Protection of the Void: Also at 3rd level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Strength modifier + your Charisma modifier.
Focused Striker: At 6th level, any attack roll you make with your Living Weapon is a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 on the d20.
Weather the Storm: At 10th level, when you are forced to make a Dexterity Saving throw, you can choose to make a Strength saving throw instead. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
You Die When I’m Ready: At 14th level, when an ally within 30 feet who can hear you drops to 0 hit points but is not outright killed, you can use your reaction to shout an order at them, causing them to drop to 1 hit point instead. You cannot use this feature again until you complete a short or long rest.
Ebontide
Ebontides are the most ”middle of the road” of the Dusk Sentinels. They seek to find the flow of the world and live within it, letting it guide them where they need to be to cause the greatest impact.
Dark Light: At 3rd level when you choose this duty you have learned to materialize Dark Light. This void-turned-real allows you to manipulate the world around you, and seems to flow from you like liquid darkness. Once per turn, when you hit a creature with a weapon, you can connect a tether between it and yourself. You can do this a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier and regain all uses when you complete a short or long rest. When you or an ally hits a target you can see with any tethers on it, you can consume the tethers to make the attack deal an extra 2d6 necrotic damage to the target per tether consumed. If you are within 30 feet of the target, you regain 2 hit points for each die of damage your tether deals. Tethers evaporate if not used after 1 minute. If a creature with any of your tethers on it dies, you can move all of its tethers to another creature within range as an Object Interaction action. When you reach 10th level, you feel your connection to the void increase. Your tethers deal an extra 1d6 damage.
Black Tide: At 6th level, you can forego one of your attacks from the Attack action to place a tether on an enemy within 30 feet of you. If they are Large or smaller, they must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier) or be grappled (escape DC = your spell save DC), and the target is restrained until the grapple ends. They can use their Action on their turn to attempt to break the grapple early.
Flicker and Flow: At 10th level, in addition to your normal movement, you can teleport up to 15 feet to an unoccupied space within your reach of a creature you have tethered.
Cut the Void: At 14th level, when you consume a tether after a successful attack roll against an interdicted creature, you may use your reaction to make the attack score a critical hit.
Twilight Fletcher
Twilight Fletchers operate by a different set of rules than their other in-your-face counterparts. They work in the backlines to protect their weaker companions and bolster their abilities rather than draw the ire of their enemies.
Shooting Star: At 3rd level when you choose this duty, you can channel your Harmony Arts into your ranged weaponry. Your Harmony arts that have a range of self now have a range equivalent to whatever ranged weapon you are wielding. If the weapon requires ammunition, for the sake of casting your Arts, it generates them at the time of use.
Umbral Bowstring: Also at 3rd level, you gain access to the Archery Fighting Style. Fundamental Disjointment: At 6th level, you gain the ability to, as a Bonus Action, expend any combination of 3 Harmony dice to fire a volley of ammunition. Choose 3 locations within 60 feet of you for your ammunition to land. These locations generate faint, incorporeal shadows of yourself and act as anchors for attacks from your ranged weapons. When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can choose to have it come from any of these anchors.
Superposition: At 10th level, your connection to your anchors grows. As a Bonus Action, you can teleport to any of your placed anchors. As a Reaction to taking damage, you can teleport to one of the anchors, possibly preventing the damage. The other anchors fade when you use this reaction.
Altered Outcomes: At 14th level, your shots are supernaturally augmented through your connection to life and death. When you fire any ammunition, you can spend a Ruin die to change its damage type from piercing to your choice of acid, cold, fire, poison, or thunder and add the value of the Ruin die to it. Alternatively, you can expend a Preservation die to shoot at a teammate and grant them hitpoints equal to the damage roll and temporary hitpoints equal to the Preservation die.
Padfoot
Padfoots spend much of their early life alone and in the dark of humanity. They manifest the darkness into an imaginary friend as a child that grows to a formidable ally on their journey through life.
Hound of Shadow: At 3rd level when you choose this duty, as an Action, you can expend half of your Harmony dice (your choice of distribution) to manifest a shadow hound in an unoccupied space within 30 feet of you. Each creature within 10 feet of the spirit (other than you) when it appears must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC or take 2d6 psychic or necrotic (your choice) damage. The hound is friendly to you and your companions and obeys your commands. See this creature's game statistics in the Manifested Hound stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in several places. You determine the hound’s appearance. Some hounds look like mastiffs wreathed in black flame-like shadows. In combat, the hound shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. 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 hound can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge. The hound manifests until it is reduced to 0 hit points, until you use this feature to summon the hound again, or until you die.
Combined Fury: At 6th level, as a Bonus Action you can touch your hound and pull it into your being. You wear the darkness like a cowl encasing your entire body. While combined, you gain the hounds current hitpoints as temporary hitpoints. While these temporary hitpoints persist, you gain the following benefits:
- You gain resistance to slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning, necrotic, and psychic damage.
- You can add 1d4 to your attack and damage rolls as psychic or necrotic (your choice) damage
- You gain advantage on Dexterity and Wisdom saving throws
- You can roll and expend Preservation dice to gain more temporary hitpoints as a Bonus Action on your turn (This does not replace the current Temporary hitpoints as it usually does).
Loyal Soul: At 10th level, you can grant your hound’s cowl to an ally of yours, giving them the benefits instead. You must concentrate as if concentrating on a spell to do so and you cannot use the Preservation dice to regrow its temporary hitpoints when used this way. Additionally, the increased damage is a d8 instead of a d4.
Cross the Moon: At 14th level, while combined, you gain a flying speed equal to your movement speed and your additional damage is equal to your Harmony dice value instead of the d8
Hound of Shadow
Medium, Shares your Alignment
- Armor Class 12 + your PB
- Hit Points 5 + 3 times your Dusk Sentinel level
- Speed 30ft
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 14 (+2d) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 15 (+2) 11 (+1)
- Damage Vulnerabilities Radiant
- Damage Resistances Nonmagical Slashing, Piercing, and Bludgeoning, Necrotic, Psychic
- Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, prone, restrained
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
- Languages understands the languages you speak
- Proficiency Bonus Shares yours
Actions
Multiattack. The hound makes a number attacks equal to half your Proficiency Bonus (rounded down)
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 plus PB to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d6 plus PB piercing damage. At level 6, this is considered magical for the sake of overcoming immunities and resistances.
Shadowstep. The hound and each willing creature of your choice within 5 feet of it teleport up to 15 feet to unoccupied spaces you can see. Then each creature within 5 feet of the space that the hound left must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC or take 1d6 + PB psychic or necrotic (your choice) damage.
Arts
Ruin Arts
| Art Name | Level Req | Dice Cost | Time | Range | Duration | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cracks in the Fabric | 3 | 2R | Bonus Action | Self | Charisma Mod Turns - Requires Concentration | As a Bonus Action, generate a razor's edge of discordance on your weapon. The next time you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, your weapon flares with white-hot intensity, and the attack deals an extra 1d6 radiant damage to the target and causes the target to ignite in holy flames, reducing their defense. At the start of each of its turns until the spell ends, the target must make an Intelligence saving throw to recognize the fire. On a failed save, it takes 1d6 radiant damage and its AC is reduced by -2. On a successful save, the art ends. If the target uses its Action to steady themselves and consciously abate the flames, the spell ends. |
| Edge of Shadow | 3 | 2R | Action | 60 ft | Instant | You cause a painfully intense, eruption of power from a point of your choice within range. Each creature in a 10-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must make a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 3d8 thunder damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature made of inorganic material such as stone, crystal, or metal has disadvantage on this saving throw. A nonmagical object that isn’t being worn or carried also takes the damage if it’s in the spell’s area. |
| Hoarfrost | 3 | 2R | Action | Self | Instant | A burst of pure negative energy emanates from you in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 3d8 cold damage and is restrained by ice formations for 1 minute, or until it or another creature within reach of it uses an action to break away the ice. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and isn’t hindered by ice. |
| Plunge into Night | 3 | 1R | Bonus Action | 30 ft | Instant | Fill your body with a burst of dark power, allowing you to jump to an unoccupied space beside a target within 30ft. of you. You may jump over obstacles or creatures up to 10ft. tall while moving to the target creature. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. When you land you may make a melee weapon attack against the creature. |
| Black Flame | 5 | 3R | Action | 150 ft | Instant | A dark streak flashes from your pointing finger to a point you choose within range and then blossoms with a low roar into an explosion of black flame. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must make a Dexterity saving throw. A target takes 6d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The sphere and each creature that begins its turn in it take 1d6 fire damage for 2 additional rounds, for 8d6 total. The fire spreads around corners. It ignites flammable objects in the area that aren’t being worn or carried. |
| Dark Energy Beam | 5 | 3R | Action | Self | Instant | A stroke of purple lightning forming a line 50 feet long and 10 feet wide blasts out from you in a direction you choose. Each creature in the line must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 8d6 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. |
| Salted Earth | 5 | 3R | Action | 150 ft | Charisma Mod Turns - Requires Concentration | You open a gateway to the dark between the stars, a region infested with true fear. A 20-foot-radius sphere of blackness and bitter cold appears, centered on a point within range and lasting for the 1 minute. This void is filled with a cacophony of soft whispers and slurping noises that can be heard up to 30 feet away. No light, magical or otherwise, can illuminate the area, and creatures fully within the area are blinded. The void creates a warp in the fabric of space, and the area is difficult terrain. Any creature that starts its turn in the area takes 2d6 cold damage. Any creature that ends its turn in the area must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 acid damage as otherworldly tentacles rub against it. |
| Art Name | Level Req | Dice Cost | Time | Range | Duration | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirits of the Lost | 5 | 3R | Action | Self | 10 Minutes | You call forth spirits to protect you. They appear as motes of darkness with vaguely humanoid forms flit around you to a distance of 15 feet for the duration. When you cast this art, you can designate any number of creatures you can see to be unaffected by it. An affected creature’s speed is halved in the area, and when the creature enters the area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 3d8 necrotic or psychic (your choice when you cast this art) damage. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage. |
| Abyssal Drain | 5 | 3R | Bonus Action | Self | Charisma Mod Turns - Requires Concentration | Coat your weapon in white flame. You regain hitpoints equal to 50% of the damage you deal for an amount of attacks equal to your Charisma modifier |
| Blacken Flesh | 7 | 4R | Action | 150 ft | Instant | You point at a location within range, and a glowing, 1-foot-diameter ball of emerald acid streaks there and explodes in a 20-foot-radius sphere. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 10d4 acid damage and another 5d4 acid damage at the end of its next turn. On a successful save, a creature takes half the initial damage and no damage at the end of its next turn. |
| Cleansing Fire | 7 | 4R | Action | 150 ft | Instant | You select a point you can see within range and create several black beads of energy at that point's location. The small beads then violently expand into a 20-foot-radius sphere explosion of fiery energy, incinerating everything within. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw. The creature closest to the sphere's center has disadvantage on this save. A target takes 5d6 fire damage and 5d6 force damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. |
| Crushing Dark | 7 | 4R | Action | 120 ft | Instant | A 20-foot-radius sphere of crushing void forms at a point you can see within range and tugs at the creatures there. Each creature in the sphere must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 5d10 force damage, and is pulled in a straight line toward the center of the sphere, ending in an unoccupied space as close to the center as possible (even if that space is in the air). On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn't pulled. |
| Chill of Night | 9 | 6R | Action | Self | Instant | A blast of cold air erupts from your hands. Each creature in a 60-foot cone must make a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 8d8 cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature killed by this spell becomes a frozen statue until it thaws. |
| Flash of Mortality | 9 | 6R | Action | 30 ft | Instant | You flourish the weapon used in the casting and then vanish to strike like the wind. Choose up to five creatures you can see within range. Make a melee spell attack against each target. On a hit, a target takes 6d10 force damage. You can then teleport to an unoccupied space you can see within 5 feet of one of the targets you hit or missed. |
| Abyssal Cleave | 11 | 7R | Action | Self | Instant | You manifest a ravine of void energy in a line originating from you that is 50 feet long and 10 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 8d8 force damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Each creature within 10 feet of the line but not in it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 8d8 force damage and be pulled toward the line until the creature is in its area |
| Communal Crisis | 11 | 7R | Action | 150 ft | Instant | You create a bolt of purple lightning that arcs toward a target of your choice that you can see within range. Three bolts then leap from that target to as many as three other targets, each of which must be within 30 feet of the first target. A target can be a creature or an object and can be targeted by only one of the bolts. A target must make a Dexterity saving throw. The target takes 10d8 lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. |
| Art Name | Level Req | Dice Cost | Time | Range | Duration | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Become Pain | 11 | 7R | Action | 60 ft | Instant | A thin green ray springs from your pointing finger to a target that you can see within range. The target can be a creature, an object, or a creation of magical force, such as the wall created by wall of force. A creature targeted by this spell must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 10d6 + 40 force damage. The target is disintegrated if this damage leaves it with 0 hit points. A disintegrated creature and everything it is wearing and carrying, except magic items, are reduced to a pile of fine gray dust. The creature can be restored to life only by means of a true resurrection or a wish spell. This spell automatically disintegrates a Large or smaller nonmagical object or a creation of magical force. If the target is a Huge or larger object or creation of force, this spell disintegrates a 10-foot-cube portion of it. A magic item is unaffected by this spell. |
| Quietus | 13 | 2R | Action | Self | Instant | Strike with a swirl of dark energy. As an action, make a melee weapon attack to all creatures within 15ft. of you. You may expend one hit die and roll it to deal additional necrotic damage equal to the result to all creatures attacked. |
| Voice of Death | 13 | 8R | Action | 60 ft | Instant | You speak a word of power that causes waves of intense pain to assail one creature you can see within range. If the target has 100 hit points or fewer, it is subject to crippling pain. Otherwise, the spell has no effect on it. A target is also unaffected if it is immune to being charmed. While the target is affected by crippling pain, any speed it has can be no higher than 10 feet. The target also has disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws, other than Constitution saving throws. Finally, if the target tries to cast a spell, it must first succeed on a Constitution saving throw, or the casting fails and the spell is wasted. A target suffering this pain can make a Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a successful save, the pain ends. |
| Dark Star | 15 | 10R | Action | 150 ft | Charisma Mod Turns - Requires Concentration | This art creates a sphere centered on a point you choose within range. The sphere can have a radius of up to 40 feet. The area within this sphere is filled with magical darkness and crushing gravitational force. For the duration, the art's area is difficult terrain. A creature with darkvision can't see through the magical darkness, and nonmagical light can't illuminate it. No sound can be created within or pass through the area. Any creature or object entirely inside the sphere is immune to thunder damage, and creatures are deafened while entirely inside it. Casting a spell that includes a verbal component is impossible there. Any creature that enters the art's area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there must make a Constitution saving throw. The creature takes 8d10 force damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful save. A creature reduced to 0 hit points by this damage is disintegrated. A disintegrated creature and everything it is wearing and carrying, except magic items, are reduced to a pile of fine gray dust. |
| Devourer | 17 | 12R | Action | 1000 ft | Charisma Mod Turns - Requires Concentration | You create a 20-foot-radius sphere of destructive gravitation force centered on a point you can see within range. For the spell's duration, the sphere and any space within 100 feet of it are difficult terrain, and nonmagical objects fully inside the sphere are destroyed if they aren't being worn or carried. When the sphere appears and at the start of each of your turns until the spell ends, unsecured objects within 100 feet of the sphere are pulled toward the sphere's center, ending in an unoccupied space as close to the center as possible. A creature that starts its turn within 100 feet of the sphere must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pulled straight toward the sphere's center, ending in an unoccupied space as close to the center as possible. A creature that enters the sphere for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there takes 5d10 force damage and is restrained until it is no longer in the sphere. If the sphere is in the air, the restrained creature hovers inside the sphere. A creature can use its action to make a Strength check against your spell save DC, ending this restrained condition on itself or another creature in the sphere that it can reach. A creature reduced to 0 hit points by this spell is annihilated, along with any nonmagical items it is wearing or carrying. |
Preservation Arts
| Art Name | Level Req | Dice Cost | Time | Range | Duration | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defiance | - | 2P | Bonus Action | Self | Charisma Mod Rounds | You can place an opaque wall at your position. It is 30 feet long, 5 feet high, made of swirling red and black smoke. It provides half cover, but can be walked and seen through with no restriction. It lasts a number of rounds equal to your Charisma Modifier. |
| Light Absorption | - | 1P | Reaction | Self | Instant | As a Reaction, force darkness to capture some of the incoming energy, lessening its effect on you and storing it for your next melee attack. You have resistance to the triggering damage type until the start of your next turn. Also, the first time you hit with a melee attack on your next turn, the target takes an extra Preservation dice value damage of the triggering type. |
| Blackest Night | 5 | 1P | Bonus Action | 30 ft | Instant | As a bonus action you may expend one Hit Die to create a barrier which protects you or a creature within 30ft. of you. Roll the expended hit die, the target gains temporary hit points equal to the die result + your Charisma modifier and 1 hitpoint |
| Holy Ignition | 7 | 4P | Action | 60 ft | Instant | You select a point you can see within range and create several white beads of energy that impact the ground from above at that point's location. The small marbles coalesce together and erupt into a 15-foot-radius, 40-foot-high cylindrical burst of radiant energy, shell-shocking all creatures within to their core. Each creature in that area must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 3d6 force damage and 3d6 radiant damage. In addition, it is incapacitated and has a speed of 0 until the end of its next turn. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and suffers no additional effects. |
| Restore the Broken | 9 | 6P | Action | Touch | Instant | You imbue a creature you touch with positive energy to undo a debilitating effect. You can reduce the target’s exhaustion level by one, or end one of the following effects on the target: One effect that charmed or petrified the target OR One curse, including the target’s attunement to a cursed magic item OR Any reduction to one of the target’s ability scores OR One effect reducing the target’s hit point maximum |
| Sworn Protector | 11 | 7P | Bonus Action | 60 ft | Charisma Mod Turns - Requires Concentration | You create a field of silvery light that surrounds a creature of your choice within range (you can choose yourself). The field sheds dim light out to 5 feet. While surrounded by the field, a creature gains the following benefits: The creature has half cover. The creature has resistance to acid, cold, fire, lightning, and poison damage. Evasion. If the creature is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, the creature instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails. As a bonus action on subsequent turns, you can move the field to another creature within 60 feet of the field. |
| Bolster the Broken | 17 | 12P | Action | 60 ft | Instant | A flood of healing energy flows from you into injured creatures around you. You restore up to 500 hit points, divided as you choose among any number of creatures that you can see within range. Creatures healed by this spell are also cured of all diseases and any effect making them blinded or deafened. This spell has no effect on undead or constructs. |
Harmony Arts
| Art Name | Level Req | Dice Cost | Time | Range | Duration | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bright Bond | - | 1R1P | Action | 60 ft | Charisma Mod Turns - Requires Concentration | Each object in a 20-foot cube within range is outlined in blue, green, or violet light (your choice). Any creature in the area when the spell is cast is also outlined in light if it fails a Dexterity saving throw. For the duration, objects and affected creatures shed dim light in a 10-foot radius. Any attack roll against an affected creature or object has advantage if the attacker can see it, and the affected creature or object can’t benefit from being invisible. |
| Damning Curse | - | 1R1P | Action | 30 ft | Charisma Mod Turns - Requires Concentration | Up to three creatures of your choice that you can see within range must make Charisma saving throws. Whenever a target that fails this saving throw makes an attack roll or a saving throw before the spell ends, the target must roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled from the attack roll or saving throw. |
| Dark Dance | - | 1R2P | Action | Self | Charisma Mod Rounds | Three illusory duplicates of yourself appear in your space. Until the spell ends, the duplicates move with you and mimic your actions, shifting position so it’s impossible to track which image is real. You can use your action to dismiss the illusory duplicates. Each time a creature targets you with an attack during the spell’s duration, roll a d20 to determine whether the attack instead targets one of your duplicates. If you have three duplicates, you must roll a 6 or higher to change the attack’s target to a duplicate. With two duplicates, you must roll an 8 or higher. With one duplicate, you must roll an 11 or higher. A duplicate’s AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier. If an attack hits a duplicate, the duplicate is destroyed. A duplicate can be destroyed only by an attack that hits it. It ignores all other damage and effects. The spell ends when all three duplicates are destroyed. A creature is unaffected by this spell if it can’t see, if it relies on senses other than sight, such as blindsight, or if it can perceive illusions as false, as with truesight. |
| Delirium | - | 1R1P | Action | 30 ft | Instant | You suggest a course of activity (limited to a sentence or two) and magically influence a creature you can see within range that can hear and understand you. Creatures that can’t be charmed are immune to this effect. The suggestion must be worded in such a manner as to make the course of action sound reasonable. Asking the creature to stab itself, throw itself onto a spear, immolate itself, or do some other obviously harmful act ends the spell. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it pursues the course of action you described to the best of its ability. The suggested course of action can continue for the entire duration. If the suggested activity can be completed in a shorter time, the spell ends when the subject finishes what it was asked to do. You can also specify conditions that will trigger a special activity during the duration. For example, you might suggest that a knight give her warhorse to the first beggar she meets. If the condition isn’t met before the spell expires, the activity isn’t performed. If you or any of your companions damage the target, the spell ends. |
| Noble Phantasm | - | 1R1P+ | Free Action | Self | Instant | You gain the ability to channel an unstable mix of mana through your weapon, which bursts into violent magic. Once per turn when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one of each Balance dice to deal the numbers rolled as force damage to the target. You increase the amount of dice expended equal to your Proficiency Bonus. |
| Protection of Fate | - | 1R1P | Reaction | Self | Instant | An invisible barrier of magical force appears and protects you. Until the start of your next turn, you have a +5 bonus to AC, including against the triggering attack, and you take no damage from magic missile. |
| Silhouette of Fate | - | 1R1P | Special | Self | Instant | Glimpses of the future begin to press in on your awareness, roll two d20s and choose one. Record the number rolled. You can replace any attack roll, saving throw, or ability check made by you or a creature that you can see with one of these foretelling rolls. You must choose to do so before the roll, and you can replace a roll in this way only once per long rest. |
| Art Name | Level Req | Dice Cost | Time | Range | Duration | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Din | 3 | 2R1P | Action | Self | Charisma Mod Turns - Requires Concentration | For the duration, no sound can be created within or pass through a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on. Any creature or object entirely inside the sphere is immune to thunder damage, and creatures are deafened while entirely inside it. Casting a spell that includes a verbal component is impossible there. |
| Shadow Bind | 3 | 2R1P | Action | 60 ft | Charisma Mod Turns - Requires Concentration | Choose a humanoid that you can see within range. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be paralyzed for the duration. At the end of each of its turns, the target can make another Wisdom saving throw. On a success, the spell ends on the target. You can expend additional Ruin dice to increase the number of targets up to your Proficiency Bonus. |
| Step Between | 3 | 1R1P | Action | Self | Charisma Mod Rounds | Your body becomes blurred, shifting and wavering to all who can see you. For the duration, any creature has disadvantage on attack rolls against you. An attacker is immune to this effect if it doesn’t rely on sight, as with blindsight, or can see through illusions, as with truesight. |
| Flashes of Beyond | 5 | 2R2P | Action | 120 ft | Charisma Mod Turns - Requires Concentration | You create a flashing pattern of images of the void that weaves through the air inside a 30-foot cube within range. The pattern appears for a moment and vanishes. Each creature in the area who sees the pattern must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature becomes charmed for the duration. While charmed by this spell, the creature is incapacitated and has a speed of 0. The spell ends for an affected creature if it takes any damage or if someone else uses an action to shake the creature out of its stupor. |
| One with the Dark | 7 | 1R2P | Bonus Action | 30 ft | Charisma Mod Turns - Requires Concentration | As an action, you create a perfect illusion of yourself that lasts for 1 minute, or until you lose your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell). The illusion appears in an unoccupied space that you can see within 30 feet of you. As a bonus action on your turn, you can move the illusion up to 30 feet to a space you can see, but it must remain within 120 feet of you. For the duration, you can cast spells as though you were in the illusion's space, but you must use your own senses. Additionally, when both you and your illusion are within 5 feet of a creature that can see the illusion, you have advantage on attack rolls against that creature, given how distracting the illusion is to the target. |
| Shadow Skin | 7 | 3R1P | Action | Self | Charisma Mod Turns - Requires Concentration | Flame-like shadows wreathe your body until the spell ends, causing you to become heavily obscured to others. The shadows turn dim light within 10 feet of you into darkness, and bright light in the same area to dim light. Until the spell ends, you have resistance to radiant damage. In addition, whenever a creature within 10 feet of you hits you with an attack, the shadows lash out at that creature, dealing it 2d8 necrotic damage. |
| Begone | 9 | 1R3P | Action | 60 ft | Charisma Mod Turns - Requires Concentration | You attempt to send one creature that you can see within range to another plane of existence. The target must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or be banished. If the target is native to the plane of existence you’re on, you banish the target to a harmless demiplane. While there, the target is incapacitated. The target remains there until the spell ends, at which point the target reappears in the space it left or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied. If the target is native to a different plane of existence than the one you’re on, the target is banished with a faint popping noise, returning to its home plane. If the spell ends before 1 minute has passed, the target reappears in the space it left or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied. Otherwise, the target doesn’t return. |
| Flicker of Night | 9 | 2R3P | Bonus Action | Self | Charisma Mod Turns - Requires Concentration | You teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. On each of your turns before the spell ends, you can use a bonus action to teleport in this way again. |
| Art Name | Level Req | Dice Cost | Time | Range | Duration | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow Wall | 9 | 1R4P | Action | 120 ft | Charisma Mod Turns - Requires Concentration | An invisible wall of force springs into existence at a point you choose within range. The wall appears in any orientation you choose, as a horizontal or vertical barrier or at an angle. It can be free floating or resting on a solid surface. You can form it into a hemispherical dome or a sphere with a radius of up to 10 feet, or you can shape a flat surface made up of ten 10-foot-by-10-foot panels. Each panel must be contiguous with another panel. In any form, the wall is 1/4 inch thick. It lasts for the duration. If the wall cuts through a creature’s space when it appears, the creature is pushed to one side of the wall (your choice which side). Nothing can physically pass through the wall. It is immune to all damage and can’t be dispelled by dispel magic. A disintegrate spell destroys the wall instantly, however. The wall also extends into the Ethereal Plane, blocking ethereal travel through the wall. |
| Windrunner | 9 | 1R5P | Action | Self | Charisma Mod Minutes - Requires Concentration | Wind wraps around your body, tugging at your hair and clothing as your feet lift off the ground. You gain a flying speed of 60 feet. Additionally, you have advantage on ability checks to avoid being grappled, and on saving throws against being restrained or paralyzed. When you are targeted by a spell or attack while this spell is in effect, you can use a reaction to teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. If this movement takes you out of range of the triggering spell or attack, you are unaffected by it. This spell then ends when you reappear. |
| Carnage Convinced | 11 | 1R5P | Action | 60 ft | Instant | You suggest a course of activity (limited to a sentence or two) and magically influence up to twelve creatures of your choice that you can see within range and that can hear and understand you. Creatures that can’t be charmed are immune to this effect. The suggestion must be worded in such a manner as to make the course of action sound reasonable. Asking the creature to stab itself, throw itself onto a spear, immolate itself, or do some other obviously harmful act automatically negates the effect of the spell. Each target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it pursues the course of action you described to the best of its ability. The suggested course of action can continue for the entire duration. If the suggested activity can be completed in a shorter time, the spell ends when the subject finishes what it was asked to do. You can also specify conditions that will trigger a special activity during the duration. For example, you might suggest that a group of soldiers give all their money to the first beggar they meet. If the condition isn’t met before the spell ends, the activity isn’t performed. If you or any of your companions damage a creature affected by this spell, the spell ends for that creature. |
| Manifest Hatred | 11 | 5R1P | Action | 90 ft | Charisma Mod Turns - Requires Concentration | You create a vertical wall of whirling, razor-sharp blades made of magical energy. The wall appears within range and lasts for the duration. You can make a straight wall up to 100 feet long, 20 feet high, and 5 feet thick, or a ringed wall up to 60 feet in diameter, 20 feet high, and 5 feet thick. The wall provides three-quarters cover to creatures behind it, and its space is difficult terrain. When a creature enters the wall’s area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, the creature must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 6d10 slashing damage. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage. |
| Unlimited Void | 11 | 3R4P | Action | 60 ft | Charisma Mod Turns - Requires Concentration | You attempt to bind a creature within an illusory cell that only it perceives. One creature you can see within range must make an Intelligence saving throw. The target succeeds automatically if it is immune to being charmed. On a successful save, the target takes 5d10 psychic damage, and the spell ends. On a failed save, the target takes 5d10 psychic damage, and you make the area immediately around the target’s space appear dangerous to it in some way. You might cause the target to perceive itself as being surrounded by fire, floating razors, or hideous maws filled with dripping teeth. Whatever form the illusion takes, the target can’t see or hear anything beyond it and is restrained for the spell’s duration. If the target is moved out of the illusion, makes a melee attack through it, or reaches any part of its body through it, the target takes 10d10 psychic damage, and the spell ends. |
| Art Name | Level Req | Dice Cost | Time | Range | Duration | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Umbral Vortex | 13 | 2R5P | Action | 300 ft | Charisma Mod Turns - Requires Concentration | A whirlwind howls down to a point on the ground you specify. The whirlwind is a 10-foot-radius, 30-foot-high cylinder centered on that point. Until the spell ends, you can use your action to move the whirlwind up to 30 feet in any direction along the ground. The whirlwind sucks up any Medium or smaller objects that aren’t secured to anything and that aren’t worn or carried by anyone. A creature must make a Dexterity saving throw the first time on a turn that it enters the whirlwind or that the whirlwind enters its space, including when the whirlwind first appears. A creature takes 10d6 bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. In addition, a Large or smaller creature that fails the save must succeed on a Strength saving throw or become restrained in the whirlwind until the spell ends. When a creature starts its turn restrained by the whirlwind, the creature is pulled 5 feet higher inside it, unless the creature is at the top. A restrained creature moves with the whirlwind and falls when the spell ends, unless the creature has some means to stay aloft. A restrained creature can use an action to make a Strength or Dexterity check against your spell save DC. If successful, the creature is no longer restrained by the whirlwind and is hurled 3d6 × 10 feet away from it in a random direction. |
| Humble the Corrupt | 15 | 6R1P | Action | 150 ft | Charisma Mod Turns - Requires Concentration | You blast the mind of a creature that you can see within range, attempting to shatter its intellect and personality. The target takes 4d6 psychic damage and must make an Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, the creature’s Intelligence and Charisma scores become 1. The creature can’t cast spells, activate magic items, understand language, or communicate in any intelligible way. The creature can, however, identify its friends, follow them, and even protect them. At the end of every 30 days, the creature can repeat its saving throw against this spell. If it succeeds on its saving throw, the spell ends. The spell can also be ended by greater restoration, heal, or wish. |
| Seclusion | 15 | 1R1P | Action | 60 ft | 1 Hour | You create a shadowy door on a flat solid surface that you can see within range. The door is large enough to allow Medium creatures to pass through unhindered. When opened, the door leads to a demiplane that appears to be an empty room 30 feet in each dimension, made of wood or stone. When the spell ends, the door disappears, and any creatures or objects inside the demiplane remain trapped there, as the door also disappears from the other side. Each time you cast this spell, you can create a new demiplane, or have the shadowy door connect to a demiplane you created with a previous casting of this spell. Additionally, if you know the nature and contents of a demiplane created by a casting of this spell by another creature, you can have the shadowy door connect to its demiplane instead. |
Changelog
V3 - 11/21/2023
- Removed Surgebinds - They just felt like too much of a boon ON TOP of the Surge ability
- Added Dark Light - I love the Illrigger seals and wanted a way to do something mechanically similar. Reduced to a d8 hit dice. - There should be more than sufficient self-sustaining in this now, though the removal of Aurora does make things a little harder. Dark Light should make up for it.
V3 - 11/27/2023
- This one is MAJOR rework - Changed name from Crimsonshade to Dusk Sentinel
- Moved Dark Light to be the core of the Ebontide subclass
- Added the Abyss Knight and Black Blood subclasses
- Moved Surge to 2nd level to free up 1st level power
- Removed Well of Darkness as a whole and gave Harmony more influence on the overall class - This should reduce “stuff” to track and make things a bit more streamlined
- Adjusted Your Blood for Mine to match the above
- Removed some of the Dark Arts originally listed, and reclassified some to adjust how they interact with Harmony. Future updates will change some of the arts to be more unique, as many are just spells with minor rewording. Added Ruin, Preservation, and Harmony Arts tables, costs will be adjusted with playtesting
V4 - 12/6/2023
- Added Twilight Fletcher subclass
- Add Padfoot subclass
- Reworded style and wording of some arts for clarity, added some arts
- Changed Capstone to be less like paladins.
- Considering the flavor this has shifted towards in recent changs, adjusted some things to be Psychic damage or Necrotic as a choice.
- I've got some more Art ideas, but they will require some thought, coming in V5
Embrace
The
Darkness
The Dusk Sentinels are an entirely new class based on resource management and player agency. You have control over your ability to use your Arts and are required to carefully plan your actions. This idea has developed from multiple sources and finally feels like its own procss
While it is still in playtesting and development stage, I have found it to be reasonably balanced thus far, and will update it as necessary with more playtesting.
If you are interested in more of my homebrews, visit FellstarDM.com and let me know what you think.
Art by MidJourney AI