Dark Sun: The World of Athas

The following is a conversion of the 1991 Dark Sun boxed set to 5E rules. It is heavily focused on early TSR source material essentially ignoring the Prism Pentad metaplot that I thought ruined the setting along with some of the later source books that were written by freelancers whle TSR was collapsing and the original creators had moved onto other project. My conversion is fosused on the themes of the original Dark Sun. Survival. Water is rare on Dark Sun outside the main cities. It is hot and the wastes of Athas are deadly. Environment. The world has been ravaged by sorcery. The PCs can ruin the world or try to repair it. Slavery. Slavery is widepread, how the PC respond is up to them but heroic PCs likely want to help them. Brutality. Athas is an unfair world and the environment is harsh. PC can arbitrarily be put to death or enslaved in the cities which are ruled by Sorcerer Kings and their servants the Templars. In the wild getting baked to death by the sun, eaten or choking on silt are all hazards and risks.

Magic is hard. Defilers have ravaged Athas and being identified as a wizard (defiler or preserver) can be a death sentence. Knowledge is rare about the finer points of magic and one has to resort to black markets to get things like spell books. A smart wizard hides their power or passes it off as psionics (hard to do as a Defiler). Everything is psionic. In comparison to magic psionics is easy. Every PC has a wild talent, except for Thri-Kreen. That cactus in the desert could actually be psionic. Lack of metal. Metal on Athas is rare and there is 1 gold mine and 1 source of iron in the Tyr region. Metal goods cost 100 times the equivalent in the PHB. A Sorcerer King can afford several suits of plate armor or can rebuild the walls of their city.

The endless wastes . . . The burning sand. . . . The crimson sun. . . . This is the world of Athas, the world of the DARK SUN® campaign. Athas’s savage, primal landscape is the result of long centuries of ecological and magical abuses. The world is dying. It breathes its last gasps as water turns to silt, grasslands become sandy waste’s, and jungles decay into stony barrens. Still, life finds ways to endure even in these hellish conditions. In fact, it thrives. Athas is a place of contrasts. Bleak deserts exist beside verdant belts, rocky badlands give way to thick forests, and scrub plains surround opulent oases. These contrasts go beyond environmental conditions. Magic, for example, is relatively scarce and universally feared, while psionic powers are a common and accepted part of life.

Water is more precious than gold in this resource-depleted world, and metals of all sort are likewise in short supply. Except for heat and sun, blood and dust, few things can be found in abundance. Children growing up beneath the crimson sun don’t aspire to become heroes. True heroes who champion causes or seek to make the world a better place are as rare as steel on Athas. Living to see the next dawn is more important than defending a set of beliefs, so survival ultimately motivates all living creatures—not virtue or righteousness

But heroes are desperately needed in this harsh, savage world. . . . Heroes like the ones who stepped forward to destroy the sorcerer-king Kalak and set Tyr free. Heroes like those who risked everything to kill the Dragon and keep Rajaat the Warbringer from devastating the land. Today, Athas rushes toward its future. If the course of destruction is to be diverted, of Athas is to be restored, then more heroes must grab the reins of destiny and give new hope and promise to the world.

Athas: The Enviorment

Much of Athas is a desert: sun-scorched and wind-scoured, parched and endless. From the first moments of dawn to the last twinkling of dusk, the crimson sun shimmers in the olivetinged sky like a fiery puddle of blood. It climbs toward its zenith, the temperature rising with equal relentlessness: 100°F by midmorning, 110°F at noon, 130°F—perhaps even 150ºF—before the sizzling day gives way to night. The wind doesn’t help matters. As hot as a forge’s breath, it blows up sandstorms that last for as long as a month or more. Even gentle breezes feel like flame licks, carrying throat-searing and nose-clogging dust. In most locations, the greatest danger is the lack of water. Much of Athas sees rain but once a year, while a few locations experience storms no more than once a decade. Even with the advent of the deadly Tyr-storms, actual rainfall has increased only slightly across the land. Evidence exists that water was once as plentiful as sand in this burning world, but now it’s as rare as a cool breeze at midday. Nights are as brutal as days. Low humidity allows the day’s heat to escape into the clear sky, plunging the temperature to 40°F or less. In higher elevations, the temperature can plummet to zero. The light of Ral and Guthay, Athas’s twin moons, provide no warmth as they shine over the darkened land. Extreme temperatures and lack of water aren’t the only features of Athas. Since the Great Earthquake that struck in the Year of Friend’s Agitation, tremors and aftershocks have been a constant threat in the western Tyr Region. That same year saw the birth of the Cerulean Storm over the Sea of Silt. This huge storm of lightning and rain hasn’t abated since it appeared. In fact, it seems to be growing stronger. Periodically it spins off a smaller tempest that sweeps across the Tablelands as a dangerous Tyr-storm.

Races of Athas

Athas is home to several of the standard high fantasy races, including elves, dwarves, halfelves, halflings, and humans, as well as a handful of new or exotic fictional races, such as muls, half-giants, pterrans, thri-Kreen, and aarakocra. Subsequent resources introduced more races such as elans, drays, and maenads. Dark Sun races were distinctly different from those found in other campaign settings as the designers purposefully went against type.For example, the thri-kreen and aarakocra were originally monsters.Some of the hallmark fantasy races were each given different twists to make them more suitable to the settings darker themes. Athasian elves are not benevolent forest dwellers but hostile tribal nomads with savage dispositions and a deep distrust of outsiders. Halfings are largely cannibals living in shaman-ruled settlements in the jungles beyond civilization. Other standard fantasy races such as ogres, kobolds, or trolls, for examples, are all assumed to have been destroyed during the Cleansing Wars or simply passed from the world in previous ages. Aarakocra Aarakocra are the most commonly encountered bird people of the Tablelands. Some are from Winter Nest in the White Mountains near Kurn, while others are from smaller tribes scattered in the Ringing Mountains and elsewhere. These freedom‐loving creatures rarely leave their homes high in the mountains, but sometimes, either as young wanderers or cautious adventurers, they venture into the inhabited regions of the Tablelands. These bird-people can spend hours riding the wind currents of the mountains, soaring in the olive-tinged Athasian sky. While traveling, Aarakocra prefer to fly high above to get a good view all around of their location and detect any threats well in advance. When they stop to rest, they tend to perch on high peaks or tall buildings. Enclosed spaces threaten the Aarakocra, who have a racial fear of being anywhere they cannot stretch their wings. This claustrophobia affects their behavior. Unless it is absolutely necessary, no Aarakocra will enter a cave or enclosed building, or even a narrow canyon. As such, they have a morale penalty when in closed chambers. Aarakocra stand 6 1/2 to 8 feet tall, with a wingspan of about 20 feet. They have black eyes, gray beaks, and from a distance they resemble lanky disheveled vultures. Arakocran plumage ranges from silver white to brown, even pale blue. Plumage color varies, but males generally have red, orange, and yellow coloration, while females tend towards brown and gray. Male aarakocra weigh around 100 pounds, while females average 85 pounds. An Aarakocra’s beak comprises much of its head, and it can be used in combat. At the center of their wings, aarakocra have three‐fingered hands with an opposable thumb, and the talons of their feet are just as dexterous. An elongated fourth finger extends the length of the wing and locks in place during flight. The hands cannot grasp while flying, but are nearly as useful as human hands when an Aarakocra is perched and its wings folded back. While walking, they use their wing‐hands to carry weapons or equipment. Their powerful legs end in four sharp talons that can unlock and fold back to reveal another pair of functional hands. Physical Description Their faces combine the features of both vultures and raptors. Aarakocra have a bony plate in their chest (the breastbone), which provides protection from blows. However, most of their bones are hollow and brittle and break more easily than most humanoids. The Aarakocra’s unusual build means they have difficulty finding armor, unless it has been specifically made for Aarakocra. Aarakocra usually live between 30 and 40 years. Athasian Aarakocra Traits Ability Score Increase Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Intelligence score increases by 1. Age Aarakocra mature Alignment Aarakocra tend towards neutrality with regard to law or chaos. With respect to good and evil, Aarakocran tribes usually follow the alignment of their leader. A tribe whose leader is neutral good will contain lawful good, neutral good, chaotic good and neutral members, with most members being neutral good. Aarakocra, even good ones, rarely help out strangers. Size Aarakocra are Medium creatures and thus have no bonuses or penalties due to their size. Speed Your base walking speed is 25 feet. They also have a fly speed of 50 feet. Flight An Aarakocra can fly up to 40 ft. 2 adjacent squares must be unoccupied in order to take off successfully. Taking off and flying are considered move actions. Fancy Feet An Aarakocra can use its taloned feet just as well as it can use its hands when wielding weapons and fighting. Even though an Aarakocra flies with its arms, it can use its feet to wield weapons - even ranged weapons like a bow - as though it were using its hands. Talons You are proficient with your unarmed strikes, and they deal 1d4 piercing damage. Languages Aarakocra speak, read, and write Common and Aarakocran. Asherati An asherati might be mistaken for a thin human under some circumstances--at least until the asherati's rust-red skin begins to glow with a light all its own, or until he dives headlong into the nearest sand dune, disappearing without a trace. Asheratis are geographically established people who live below the sands and dusts of suitable wastelands rising to the surface to hunt for food, socialize and trade with other races, and make war upon their enemies. As merfolk are to the sea if they continued to exist, asheratis are to the sands. Personality Asheratis are a quiet people, given to reflection and long retreats from the presence of their fellows. However, every asherati acknowledges the value of community and fellowship, and each retreat is followed by a return to a sandshrouded village where friendships are renewed and the needs of the community are met. Physical Description An asherati appears as a humanoid with smooth skin the color of rust. An asherati can make its skin glow as if with an inner fire, giving off a piercing illumination that suffuses through sand. an asherati has no body hair and eyes the color of ivory. The lithe asherati is a graceful swimmer of the dunes and thus eschews excessive clothing or equipment, wearing only minimal, skin-hugging garments for modesty's sake. Some asheratis wear tight leather armor, streamlined so as to not hinder their progress through the sands. A typical asherati stands between 5 and 6 feet tall and weighs about 170 pounds. Relations Asherati delight when nomads, caravans or travelers of almost any race appear in sands above their homes--by day, asherati merchants trade their wares, while at night asherati rogues silently ascend and try their hands at pilfering. Trade continues despite this behavior, because no one can come close to replicating the delicate asherati sand sculptures, which can fetch large prices in cities far from the desert. Asheratis tolerate other established races of the wastes, grudgingly admitting that each has found a niche. The asheratis live below the sand and the other races above. Still, sometimes conflict erupts or potential feuds smolder just below the surface. It is not unknown for caravans moving through the desert to hire an asherati or two to act as guides and scouts. Especially adventurous asheratis have left the wastes entirely, seeking their fortunes in completely alien lands. Alignment Asheratis share a common concern for one another's welfare and are, therefore, good. Observing no specific rules when it comes to behavior, and having a proclivity toward thievery, asheratis are usually chaotic. Asherati Lands The trackless, changing waste seems an inhospital location to claim, with the burning sun by day and frigid cold at night. That's why asheratis claim the lands below, living beneath the sand as if it were water. Under the cover of sand are their homes, communities, and even a few great cities of striking architecture. The interior of every buried building is hollow; the air is clear, and asheratis live in a way not unlike that of common humans. Cleverly constructed "sandlocks" in the floors of their homes allow asheratis to move into and out of buried buildings without disrupting the equilibrium between sand and open space. In asherati cities, families hold the power. Powerful wealthy, and well-respected families are responsible for the outlook of the local populace, and are referred to as the First Families. The First families share power in a council, and truly great families are sometimes important in more than one village. Since family is such an important aspect of asherati social live, bad behavior on the part of a single family is often tolerated for far longer than in most other civilizations. Far flung asherati towns are usually made up of just two or three families, all working together to build their community. Usually such colonies are built to expand trade. Others are secretly established in sandy areas that abut more temperate regions to serve as a base for larceny. Through the Cleansing Wars, many of the asherati cities were destroyed by the Champions of Rejaat and has left only a few scattered cities and smaller villages still standing in the present age. Religion Many Asheratis give homage to Solanil, whom they view as responsible for building the first sand city to shelter the asheratis when they arrived in the wasteland. Particularly zealous asherati worshipers see themselves as the "seeds" that the deity has planted, just as she encourages the planting of seeds so there will be more food in the waste. Language Asheratis speak their own language and Common. Names Asheratis have given names and familiy names. Male Names: Ambapar, Het, Iputhut, Iu-same, Kbankhe, Menefer, M'ut, Nament, Tauah. Female Names: Abesukh, Aned, Ankheru, Dhede, Kher-ra, Nemenmo, Reht, Shis. Family Names: Ambera, Atinani, Faihayl, Habah, Huridah, Imtimah, Manah, Nadeeha, Najeema, Nazihar, Nimah, Rawthay, Reedayl. Adventurers Every asherati has some measure of adventurous spirit, no matter how deeply hidden. It would be hard to name an asherati who did not try his hand at a minor bit of thievery for the fun and excitement such behavior promises. It is not unheard of to find full-time asherati adventurers, though such folk usually leave the sands of their birth far behind, finding noble quests in the far corners of the world. Athasian Asherati Traits Ability Score Increase: Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1. Asherati are hardy, yet lithe. Age: Asherati are slightly slower to age than humans. They reach adulthood at 20 years and can live to be about 105. Alignment: Asherati have a penchant for thievery and observe no specific rules when it comes to behavior. Members of the race look out for one another, however. Overall, they tend toward Chaotic Neutral. Size: A typical Asherati stands between 5 and 6 feet tall and weighs about 170 lbs. Your size is Medium. Speed: Your base walking speed is 30 feet; you also have a swim speed up to 30 feet through sand, ash, dust, and softsand (see Sandswim ability for more information). Heat Endurance: Asherati are acclimated to life in the desert. You automatically succeed on Constitution saving throws made to resist the effects of extreme heat. (DMG 110) Like Sand Through Your Fingers: You are proficient with the Stealth skill. Sandswim: As a Triton is to the water, an Asherati is to the shifting desert sands. You have the ability to swim through sand, ash, dust, and softsand at your full land speed when wearing light armor or carrying a light load. If you are carrying a medium load or wearing medium or heavy armor, your speed drops to 5 feet. An encumbered Asherati cannot make any headway through the sand. You can breathe normally while under the sands. However, you cannot swim or breathe through quicksand, packed dirt, or rock; nor can you hold your breath longer than normal in water or dangerous gases. You cannot see while swimming in this manner, but do get Tremorsense out to 30 ft. while you are submerged in the sand. Body Lamp: As Asherati cities are deep underground, and are not reached by the sun, the race itself has evolved to be its own light source. You can use a bonus action to illuminate yourself. This ability functions as per the light cantrip, but with yourself as the target and the illuminated area as 30 feet instead of 20, with an additional 30 feet of dim, shadowy light. While this ability is active, you have disadvantage on Stealth checks. At 3rd level, you can use this ability offensively. If you are not already glowing, you can suddenly illuminate yourself in a dizzying flash, dazzling those around you. This functions as the color spray spell, and can be used once per long rest. At 5th level, the total Hit Dice of the creatures you can dazzle in this way increases to 8d10. Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common and Asherati. Asherati flows like Elvish, but has a slightly darker, more sybilant sound. It uses the Dwarven script. Dwarves Adwarf’s chief love is toil. A dwarf is never happier than when there is a cause to work or fight for, something he can approach with stoic singlemindedness for weeks, months, years, or even decades at a time. Once a dwarf’s mind is committed to a certain task, he’ll only set it aside after a great deal of grumbling and coercion. The fulfillment he achieves upon completion of a lengthy, difficult task is what he strives for. Lives of hard work in the hot sun leave them with a rich tan and rugged, calloused hands and feet. The task to which a dwarf is presently committed is referred to as his focus. A dwarf’s focus must be a feat requiring at least one week to complete. Shorter term goals cannot be considered a focus. Actually, a dwarf’s commitment to his focus is based in his physiology—those who complete their lives before they complete their foci live out their afterlives as banshees in the wastes, haunting their unfinished works! Personality: Dwarves prefer to occupy themselves with meaningful tasks, and often approach these tasks with an intensity rarely seen in other races. As such, dwarves make excellent laborers, and take great pride in their accomplishments. However, their stubbornness can lead to difficulties. Dwarves will sometimes fail to listen to reason, attempting to accomplish what are impossible tasks. Dwarves live for their focus. Dwarves that die while being unable to complete their focus return from the dead as banshees to haunt their unfinished work. A dwarf also rarely divulges his focus to anyone. Physical Description: The dwarves of the Tablelands stand 4 1/2 to 5 feet tall, with big muscular limbs and a strong build. They weigh on average 200 lbs. Dwarves are hairless, and find the very idea of hair repulsive. They have deeply tanned skin, and rarely decorate it with tattoos. Dwarves can live up to 250 years. Relations: A dwarfʹs relation with others is often a function of his focus. People that help the dwarf accomplish his focus or share his goals are treated with respect and considered good companions. There is little room for compromise, though, with those that disagree with the dwarf’s focus. If they hinder the dwarf, they are considered obstacles that must be removed. Community is important to the dwarves. Dwarves have a very strong racial affinity. They rarely share their history with non–dwarves; it can take years for a stranger to gain enough trust to be admitted into a Dwarven family circle. Alignment: Dwarves tend towards a lawful alignment, with most members either good or neutral. Their devotion to following the established hierarchy in their village means they tend to follow the rules, sometimes to the point of ridicule. Dwarven Lands: There are three main Dwarven settlements in the Tablelands: Kled, located near the city‐state of Tyr, and the twin villages of North and South Ledopolus located in the southwestern edge of the Tablelands. Some Dwarven communities have developed in the city‐states and in some small villages, while other dwarves have taken up residence with the slave tribes of the wastes. Magic: Like most peoples, dwarves have an aversion to wizardly magic, and they are the least amenable to changing their minds about anything. Dwarves rarely take to the wizardly arts; the few that do are usually shunned from respectable Dwarven society. Some dwarves will travel with a wizard who proves himself a worthy companion, but few dwarves will truly ever trust a wizard. Psionics: Like almost everything that they do, dwarves take to psionics with a vengeance. They make formidable masters of The Way. Religion: Dwarven communities are ruled by their elders; dwarves are particularly devoted to their community leader, the Urhnomous. Dwarves typically worship elemental earth. Fire is sometimes worshiped for its destructive power and water for its healing nature. Air’s intangibility and chaotic nature attracts few Dwarven worshippers. Dwarven druids are unusual, and tend to devote themselves to a particular area of guarded land. Language: Dwarves have a long and proud oral history. They have an old written language, but this is mostly used for writing histories. Dwarves will not teach their ancient language to outsiders, they prefer to keep that knowledge to themselves. The Dwarven language is deep and throaty, composed of many guttural sounds and harsh exclamations. Most non‐dwarves get raw throats if they try to speak Dwarven for more than a few hours Athasian Dwarf Traits Your dwarf character has an assortment of inborn abilities, part and parcel of Athasian dwarven nature. Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Strength score increases by 2. Age. Dwarves mature at the same rate as humans, but they’re considered young until the reach of age of 50. On average, they live about 250 years. Alignment. Most dwarves are lawful, believing firmly in the benefits of a well-ordered society. They tend toward good as well, with a strong sense of fair play and a belief that everyone deserves to share in the benefits of a just order. Size. Dwarves are short but extremely powerful. Athasian dwarves average 4 1/2 to 5 feet in height and tend to have a very large muscle mass—a full-grown dwarf weighs in the neighborhood of 200 pounds. Your size is Medium. Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet. Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor. Nonmagical. You cannot cast spells from the sorcerer, warlock, or wizard spell lists. Dwarven Resilience. You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage. Tool Expertise. You gain proficiency with the artisan’s tools of your choice. You add double your proficiency bonus when you make checks using this proficiency. Languages. You can speak Common and Dwarvish. Dwarvish is full of hard consonants and guttural sounds, and those characteristics spill over into whatever other languages a dwarf might speak. Dwarven Focus A dwarf's focus is the central point of its existence. Nothing is more rewarding to a dwarf than to complete its focus. But no simple job can be such a focus; anything taking a few days to complete is too simple a task to be considered a focus. While working to complete it, dwarves receive a bonus to any task, provided they are directly related to their focus. Work with your DM to come up with a focus that your character begins with, and with a new one every time you finish yours. It shouldn't be an easy or mundane task and it should take at least one week to complete. It could also be linked to your adventures or be something different altogether. At your DM's permission, you may be bound to earn inspiration whenever you successfully complete your focus. 12 Dray The Dray, the draconic race who dwell far beneath the scorched surface of Athas, owe their fearsome form to a transformation wrought ages ago upon the band of humans who then served under Dregoth. However it was not only the bodies of his people that the Dread Lord saw fit to alter to his liking, but also their hearts and minds. This was achieved long before the physical transformation, when he fashioned for them a new religion, one which places himself at the centre of a cosmic drama in which they would play a vital part. Personality: Physical Description: The Dray are humanoid, dragon-like in appearance. All Dray are around 7 feet tall. None have wings, but they do have tails. Relations: Alignment: Dray Lands: Most Dray from the First Generation were scattered to the wing with the destruction of Giustenal. Magic: Psionics: Religion: Language: The Dray speak the Draconic language and are some of the few to do so. Common and their City-State dilect are their more common language used. Ability Score Increase Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1. Age You grow quickly, able to walk mere hours after hatching and attaining the size and mental faculties of a human of 10 years old by the time you reach your third year. You are considered an adult at 15, and live to be around 80 years old. Size You stand between 6 and 7 feet tall and weigh around 250 pounds. Your size is Medium. Speed Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Breath Weapon You can use your action to exhale a gout of flame in a 15 foot cone. Each creature in the area of effect must make a Dexterity saving throw or suffer damage. The DC for this saving throw is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier. A creature takes 2d6 fire damage on a failed save, and half as much on a successful one. The damage increases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 16th level. Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you complete a long or short rest. Fire Resistance You are resistant to fire damage. Devious Plotter You are proficient in the Deception skill. Languages You speak Draconic, Common and Giustenal. Your literacy is determined by a roll made at character creation ElfT he dunes and steppes of Athas are home to thousands of tribes of nomadic elves. While each tribe is very different culturally, the elves within them remain a race of long-limbed sprinters given to theft, raiding, and warfare. An Athasian elf stands between 6 1/2 and 7 1/2 feet tall. They are slender, lean, and generally in terrific physical condition. Their features are deeply etched into their weather-toughened faces, and their skin made rugged by the windblown sands and baking sun of the wilderness. Elves typically dress to survive in the desert environment. Even when at an oasis or in the cities, elves tend to prefer their native garb, designed to wrap the wearer against the brutality of the elements. Elves are all brethren within their own tribe, but regard all outsiders as potential enemies. There is no racial unity among the elves—an elf from outside the tribe is just as much a foe as a human, halfling, or thri-kreen. Acceptance of an outsider by an individual elf can be achieved, but trust will only develop over time. Acceptance of an outsider by an entire tribe is also possible, but rare. It is usually only awarded after some great sacrifice has been made on behalf of the tribe—many outsiders have been accepted posthumously into elven desert tribes. Individually, tribal elves are swift, sure, and self-reliant in the extreme. An elf is conditioned to run quickly over sandy and rocky terrain, sometimes for days at a time—an elf warrior can cross better than 50 miles per day. An elven war party on the move is a deadly force of endurance and maneuverability. Elves use no beasts of burden for personal transportation, though they do sometimes engage kanks and similar creatures for baggage or raw materials transport. It is dishonorable among elves to ride on an animal unless wounded and near death—even pregnant women and old elves are expected to keep up with the tribe or be left behind. While most elven tribes make their living through herding, some have turned to commerce and others to raiding. Elven traders are rightly considered the most capable of Athas. Not only can they barter and deal with a variety of races, but they can also move and protect their goods across the vast wilderness. Elven culture, while savage, is also very rich and diverse. Elves have no class restrictions. An elf can be from a wild, tribal background or from a city-state upbringing—there are many elves that have settled in the cities as bazaar vendors, and still, many more that have been dragged there in chains. Physical Description: Elves stand between 6 and 7 feet tall, with lean builds; angular, deeply etched features;and no facial hair. They dress in garb designed to protect from the desert and elements. Relations: Elves tend to keep to their own tribe and their proven friends unless they have some sort of an angle-something to sell, or some deception to pass off. Strangers are potential enemies waiting to take advantage of them, so elves look for every opportunity to win the advantage. If an elf believes that a companion might make a worthy friend, the elf devises a series of “tests” of trust that allow the companion to prove that their friendship is “Stronger than the bonds of death,” as elves say. Once a stranger has gained an elf’s trust, he is forever that elf’s friend. If this trust is ever betrayed, it is gone forever. Alignment: Elves tend towards chaos because of their love of freedom, variety and self–expression. With respect to good and evil, elves tend towards neutrality, although their behavior leans towards good – even self–sacrifice –– where the good of their tribe is at stake. Although they’ll steal everything in sight, elves are not murderous. They rarely attack anyone except those who threaten them or stand in their way. Elven Lands: Always at home when running in the wastes, elves often act as if all plains and badlands were Elven lands. However, since most elves are loath to settle or build, they can rarely enforce their claims. Elven tribes make a living either through herding, raiding or trading; most tribes have at one time or another plied their hand at all three of these occupations. A tribeʹs current occupation usually determines which lands they currently claim as their own. Elven herders claim grazing lands. Elven raiders claim lands crossed by trade routes. Elven traders claim no lands, but wander in search of bargains and loose purses. Magic: Of all Tableland races, elves have the greatest affinity towards and acceptance of arcane practices. Psionics: Persistence is not an Elven strong suit, so Elven will is often weaker than that of other races. A few elves study the Way to win one more advantage in battle and trade. Religion: Elves revere Coraanu Star Racer as the ideal “First Elf – the warrior thief” the embodiment of all that elves wish to be, basing their calendar on his life and honoring his myth with exquisite song, dance and celebration. Many elves worship the elements; particularly air, which they associate with freedom, swiftness and song. Elves also honor and swear by the moons, perhaps because low‐light vision turns moonlight into an Elven advantage. Athasian Elf Traits Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Intelligence score increases by 1. Age. You reach maturity at the same rate as a human, but are still considered an inexperienced youth until you reach the age of 100. Elves may live to be around 750 years old. Size. You are tall and lithe, standing well over six feet tall and possessing a slender build averaging 170 pounds. Your size is Medium. Speed. Your base walking speed is 40 feet. Darkvision. Accustomed to traveling at night, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. Elf Weapon Training. You are proficient in the longsword, shortsword, shortbow, and longbow. Keen Senses. You have proficiency in the Perception skill. Natural Athlete. You are proficient in the Athletics skill. Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep. Runner's Endurance. If you travel overland alone or with a group consisting only of elves, you can travel at twice the speed of a normal travel pace without incurring a penalty to Perception skill checks. Trance. Elves don't need to sleep. Instead, they meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious, for 4 hours a day. While meditating, you can dream after a fashion; such dreams are actually mental exercises that have become reflexive through years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep. Languages. You speak Common and Elvish. Your literacy is determined by a roll made at character creation 15 Half Elf Elves and humans travel many of the same roads on Athas—elven tribes have at times encountered human mercenaries, just as elven warriors have found gainful employment in the armies of the city-states. The merchant class, too, is overrun with traders of both races, so it is not at all unusual for children of mixed parentage to be born into the world—the half-elves. A half-elf is generally tall, between 6 and 6 1/2 feet tall, but meatier than his elven counterparts. His facial features are clearly more deeply defined than those of a human, but based solely on his countenance a half-elf can usually pass for either an elf or a human. A half-elf’s life is typically hardened by the intolerance of others. Neither fully human nor fully elven, half-elves rarely find acceptance with either race. Elves are especially intolerant, at times driving mothers of half-elven infants from their camps into the desert. Humans are more apt to accept half-elves as allies or partners, but seldom accept them into their homes, clans, or families. Rarely do half-elves congregate in great enough numbers to form communities of their own, so they remain, outsiders, forever wandering from situation to situation without a people, land, or village to call home. Intolerance, however, has given the half-elf his greatest attribute—self-reliance. As a loner, usually without a permanent residence, a half-elf survives the rigors of life in the wilderness completely on his own. The skills involved in survival, such as locating food, water, and shelter, are only half of the challenge they face—halfelves must also learn to deal with the absence of companionship, the complete lack of conversation and basic friends kip. Coincidentally, faced with intolerance from the races of their parentage, many turn to completely alien races for acceptance. Dwarves, halflings, and even thri-kreen have no basic dislike of half-elves—nor do they grant them any favor. At the very least a kalf-elf dealing with these races can expect no automatic prejudices. Also, some half-elves turn for companionship to the animal world, training beasts of the air and sands as servants and friends. Athasian Half-Elf Traits Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2, and two other ability scores of your choice increase by 1. Age. Half-elves mature at the same rate as humans and reach adulthood around the age of 20. You live much longer than humans, often exceeding 180 years. Size. You stand at approximately the same height as a human, though tend toward a few inches taller due to your elven ancestry. On average, you weigh around 170 pounds. Your size is Medium. Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Darkvision. Thanks to your elven blood, you possess superior vision in dim and dark conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep. Skill Versatility. You gain proficiency in two skills of your choice. Languages. You speak Common, Elvish, and one other language of your choice. Your literacy is determiined by a roll made at character creation. 16 Half Giant Giants dominate many of the islands and coastal areas of the Silt Sea, wading across it to plunder the communities of smaller races where they find them. In some lost millennium, as a bizarre experiment or perhaps as some sort of curse, giants were magically crossbred with humans. Half-giants are now fairly common, especially to human controlled lands at the edge of the sea of dust. Though no one knows for certain, half-giants seem to be a fairly young race, perhaps only a few tens of centuries old. There is no half-giant culture common to all of their kind. On the contrary, having insufficient history and overall intelligence to have their own culture, half-giants tend to readily adopt the cultures of other creatures they admire or associate with. Half-giants are very imitative creatures, eager to fit into new situations as they present themselves. Half-giants sometimes collect into communities of their own, though they most often adopt the culture and customs of those creatures that are nearby. When near an elven nation, for instance, half-giants will form their own hunting and raiding parties, adopting the ways of the elven marauders. They won’t mix with the elves, neither will they fight with them. In most instances, imitative half-giant communities will compete directly with the race whom they are likening themselves to. It is their great size and combat prowess that keeps their competitors at a safe distance. Halfgiants can switch their attitudes very quickly, taking on new values to fit new situations. A half-giant whose peaceful farming life is disrupted by marauders may soon adopt the morals of the very renegades who sacked his village. Athasian Half-Giant Traits Half-giant share a number of traits in common with giants, as well as having unique characteristics only they possess. Ability Score Increase Your Strength score increases by 2, your Constitution score increases by 2 Age Half-giants have lifespans comparable to humans. They enter adulthood in their late teens and usually live a little more than a century. Alignment Half-giants are imitable but flexible. Typically, one aspect of their alignment remains fixed while the other stays neutral. For example, a “lawful” half-giant could be good one day or evil the next. While a “good” half-giant may conform to laws on one day, or break towards chaos on another. Size A half-giant is an enormous individual, standing between 10 and 12 feet tall, and weighing in the neighborhood of 1,600 pounds. Your size is Medium. Speed Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Stone’s Endurance You can focus yourself to occasionally shrug off injury. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to roll a d12. Add your Constitution modifier to the number rolled and reduce the damage by that total. After you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest. Powerful Build You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. Desert Born You have resistance to fire damage. You’re also acclimated to the Athasian desert. Athletic You have proficiency in the Athletics skill. Languages You can speak Common, Giant, and one other language of your choice. 17 Halflings Beyond the Ringing Mountains are jungles that flourish in rains that never reach the Tablelands or the Sea of Silt. There, life is abundant, the foliage thick and untamed. The undisputed rulers of these jungles are the halflings. A halfling is a very short humanoid, standing no more than 3 1/2 feet in height. They are muscled and proportioned like humans, but they have the faces of wise and beautiful children. Halflings live to be as much as 120 years old, but once they reach adulthood, their features never succumb to their years—it’s very difficult for an outsider to determine a given halfling’s age. A halfling weighs 50 to 60 pounds and is virtually always in peak physical condition. Halflings possess a great deal of racial unity. Though divided politically into separate villages and communities, halflings have great respect for their race as a whole. Political differences between them are settled wherever possible peaceably, through ritual and custom, most often under the direction of their clerical leaders, the shaman witch doctors. On a personal level, halflings relate very well to one another, well enough to have built a considerable culture rich in art, song, and other expressive communication. However, they tend to rely heavily on their culture for communication, a culture that both parties in a conversation are assumed to understand. It is difficult for a halfling to compensate in conversation for a listener who isn’t intimately familiar with halfling culture, and as such, they easily become frustrated with outsiders. Depending upon how “official” a meeting is, outsiders often have to take great pains to learn local customs merely to communicate with the halflings in question. Of course, halflings who have traveled widely outside their traditional jungle home have a much greater tolerance of those with a “lack” of halfling culture; so much so that they can communicate easily and without frustration. Halfling culture is fabulously diverse, but difficult for other races to comprehend. A complete history of their culture, if such a thing existed, would speak volume upon volume of complex social change, inspirational clerical leaders, and indepth personal studies of the halfling and his duty to his jungle home. Conspicuous in their absence would be references to great wars of conquest or tremendous monetary wealth—the yardsticks by which other races measure cultural success. Halfling culture cares for the individual’s inward being, his identity and spiritual unity with his race and environment. Their culture does not provide for more traditional values, and vices such as greed and avarice are particularly discouraged. Oddly, the richness of the land may be disturbed and examined, even used for a halfling’s own gain. However, those riches belong to the land and, in the mind of the halfling, should never be moved away. For instance, nature intended a spring to bring water only to a certain area. To move the water through irrigation to some other area is not what nature had in mind. Similarly, an archaeological find in the jungle that yields a great pile of gold and metals is an event that shouldn’t be tampered with—the gold might be used to raise a spectacular series of clerical buildings on the spot, but it should not be carted off to some other location. Athasian Halfling Traits Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1. Age. A halfling reaches adulthood at the age of 20 and generally lives into the middle of his or her second century. Size. Halflings average about 3 feet tall and weigh about 40 pounds. Your size is Small. Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet. Lucky. When you roll a 1 on the d20 for an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll. Brave. You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened. Nature Tender. You know the druidcraft cantrip. Tribal Knowledge. You choose to be proficient in one of the following skills: History, Nature, Performance, Survival. Languages. You speak Common and one other language of your choice. Your literacy is determined by a roll made at character creation. 18 Human Humans are the predominant race on Athas. Human characters are not restricted in either the classes they can choose or the levels they can attain. High-level humans can easily become the most powerful characters in the campaign. An average human male stands between 6 and 6 1/2 feet tall and weighs 180 to 200 pounds. A human female is somewhat smaller, averaging between 5 1/2 and 6 feet in height and weighing between 100 and 140 pounds. The colors of skin, eyes, and hair vary widely. On Athas, centuries of abusive magic have not only scarred the landscape—they’ve twisted the essence of human appearance, as well. Many humans in Athas look “normal.” Others, however, have marked alterations to their appearance. Their facial features might be slightly bizarre; a large chin or nose, pointed ears, no facial hair, etc. Their coloration might be subtly different, such as coppery, golden brown, hues of grey, or patchy. The differences may be more physical, such as webbed toes or fingers, longer or shorter limbs, etc. Humans Ability Score Increase. Increase all of your ability scores by 1 each. Age. Humans reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century. Size. Humans vary widely in height and build, from barely 5 feet tall to well over 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium. Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Languages. You speak Common and one language of your choice. Your literacy is determined by a roll made at character creation. City-States of the Tablelands Balic- Perched on the shores of the Forked Tongue Estuary, Balic is wealthy and touts a rich cultural heritage. Its mercantile prowess brings prosperity, and its Chamber of Patricians upholds the city-state’s democratic pretense. In truth, however, the chamber’s senators answer to Sorcerer-King Andropinis, a dictator they dare not defy. Draj - Farthest from the hub of civilization, Draj is an isolated city-state embroiled in endless warfare.Mad Sorcerer-King Tectuktitlay rules the City of Moons through fear and bloodletting. Gulg - Within the verdant confines of the Crescent Forest, the smallest of the city-states exists as a collective of villages that draws sustenance from the bounty of the lush land. Gulgans have no doubt the Oba, as they call Sorcerer-Queen Lalali-Puy, is a goddess, and most willingly serve her. Nibenay - Residents believe Nibenay, the City of Spires, is the last bastion of true civilization on Athas. That vaunted worldview is reflected in every aspect of Nibenese culture, ranging from the city-state’s opulent architecture to its resplendent dance forms. The reclusive Shadow King, who shares his name with the city-state, has spent centuries tucked away in his arcane studies. Raam - The populous city-state of Raam, once ripe and magnificent, is crumbling. The hedonistic Sorcerer-Queen Abalach-Re ignores the starving rioters and violent warlord-sword factions as she indulges in every pleasure. Citizens squabble over scraps of food, and fatalism wars with desperation on every filthy, decrepit street of Raam. Tyr - Tyr lies in a small valley among the foothills of the Ringing Mountains. Although not the largest city fo the Tablelands, it’s considered one of the most important due to its political cloud, location, and great (by Athasian standards) reserves of iron ore in the nearby mountains. Urik - The militaristic city-state of Urik to the north boasts one of the largest and deadliest armies in all of the Tablelands. Urik is harshly lawful; all citizens and visitors are required to obey the laws of The Great King, Hamanu. Those who fail to obey the laws (or bribe their way out) find themselves sold into slavery, doomed to toil away in the obsidian mines. 19 MulAmul (pronounced: mul) is an incredibly tough crossbreed of a human and dwarf. They retain the height and cunning of their human parent, plus the durability and raw strength of their dwarven heritage. Muls are usually the products of the slave pits—owners recognize the muls’ assets as gladiators and laborers, and so order the births of as many muls as can be managed within the ranks of their slaves. Muls are born sterile—they cannot perpetuate their kind. A full-grown mul stands 6 to 6 1/2 feet tall and weighs 240- 300 pounds. They are fair skinned, sometimes tending toward a copperish coloration. Their dwarven ancestry gives them a well-muscled frame and an incredible constitution— mul laborers can perform heavy work for days at a time without stopping. Muls have stern facial features. They are unmistakably human in appearance, though their ears are swept back and slightly pointed. Most muls, whether male or female, have no hair or beard. Born as they are to lives of slave labor, with the taskmaster’s whip taking the place of parents and family, muls are given to a gruff personality and violent reactions. Understandably, many never seek friends or companionship but live out their lives in servitude, driven by Katred and spite. Most, however, learn who to trust in the slave pits and who not to, gaining favor and reputation among the other slaves. Many slave muls Kave either escaped or otherwise won their freedom and now live independent lives all over Athas. Of these, a large percentage have bartered their combat prowess, making their way as soldiers or guards. A few others, given to more cerebral pursuits, have turned to priestly devotions or the mental disciplines of psionics. Athasian Mul Traits Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Strength score increases by 1. Age. Muls mature and age at the same rate as humans, though they rarely live longer than 90 years. Size. Your body is tough, dense, and sinewy. You stand between 6 and 7 feet tall and weigh between 250 and 300 pounds. Your size is Medium. Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Vigorous Body. You are proficient in Constitution saving throws. If your class is already proficient in Constitution saving throws, or if you later gain a feat that gives you proficiency, you have advantage on all Constitution saving throws against effects that apply disease, exhaustion, and poison. Steadfast. You can fight, travel, and perform heavy labor for long periods of time without tiring and can ignore exhaustion from such endeavors. You can remain awake and active for up to 72 hours without requiring a long rest, after which time you begin to suffer at the same rate as other character races. Languages. You can speak Common and Dwarvish. Your literacy is determined by a roll made at character creation. 20 Thri-Kreen Hulking insect-men standing as tall as 7 feet at the shoulder, the thri-kreen are the least “human” of the major Athasian races. Their survivability in the wilderness, combined with their cunning and intellect, have made the mantis warriors (as they are known to some races) the undisputed masters across large tracts of the Athasian wastes. The individual thri-kreen is a six-limbed creature with a tough, sandy-yellow exoskeleton. Its hind legs are the most powerful, used for walking, running, and leaping. The four forward limbs each have a hand with three fingers and an opposable thumb. A thrikreen’s exoskeleton is extremely hard. A thri-kreen’s head has two large eyes, two antennae, and a small-but-powerful jaw. The jaws work from side to side and have several small extensions that grab and manipulate food while it is being eaten. The eyes are jet black and multifaceted, separated to either side of the head. The antennae are all but vestigial, serving only to help maneuver through brush and grasslands in the darkness. Thri-kreen have no need for sleep. Thri-kreen characters can remain active through the day and night. Thri-kreen make and use a variety of weapons. Chief among them are the gythka, a polearm with wicked blades at either end and the chatkcha, a crystalline throwing wedge. They also fashion many forms of clothing but never wear armor. The pack is the single unit of organization among the thrikreen, generally having 2-24 individuals. The pack is always on the hunt, never idle—there are no permanent thri-kreen communities. The so-called thri-kreen nations are, in fact, not organized as such, nor are they thought of as nations by the mantis warriors. The nations are human conventions to delineate on maps where the thri-kreen thrive and dominate. Thri-kreen are carnivores and the pack is constantly on the hunt for food. They consider the other Athasian races as potential food stock but only prey on other intelligent creatures in times of desperation. The mantis warriors have a well-known taste for elves, which keeps both races at an uneasy peace when they are forced to cooperate. Athasian Thri-Kreen Trait Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2. You may choose to increase either your Strength or Wisdom score by 1. Age. Thri-kreen mature quickly and are able adults by the time they are 7 years old. They rarely live longer than 30 years. Size. You stand around 7 feet tall and weigh around 300 pounds of tough chitin and dense flesh. Your size is Medium. Speed. Your base speed is 40 feet. Carapace. Your base AC is 13 plus your Dexterity modifier. You cannot benefit from the protection of any armor that grants you an AC of 13 or lower. Due to the shape of your body, armor must be custom-made for your form and costs twice as much. Desert Adaptation. You require only a half gallon of water each day to avoid exhaustion from dehydration. You do not sleep, and can gain the benefits of a long rest while performing only four hours of light activity. Powerful Leap. You can perform a running leap to travel a number of feet straight forward equal to three times your Strength score. You can perform a standing vertical jump up to your Strength score in feet. Multiple Limbs. You possess a second set of arms below your primary limbs. These limbs can hold objects and weapons, but cannot be used to perform more attacks than you normally have at your disposal based on your class and your fighting styles. Natural Weaponry. You possess sharp claws and a painful bite. As a bonus action, you can make a single claw or bite attack to inflict 1d4 points of slashing (with claw) or piercing (with bite) damage. These are considered weapons with the finesse quality, and thus you may use either your Strength or Dexterity modifer to determine the attack roll and damage bonus. Survivor. You are proficient in the Survival skill. Languages Thri-kreen speak Common and Kreen. Your literacy is determined by a roll made at character creation, but thri-kreen are very rarely literate. Pterran In the Hinterlands, beyond the Ringing Mountains, dwell the pterrans. The language of the terrans is a collection of vocal sounds, which are combined with clicks and taps made with claws. As a result, it is almost impposible for many other races on Athas to speak this language, and pterrans speak the common language with a remarked accent. There is a deep reverence for the Earth Mother in Athasian Society, and the pterrans belive that they are the favoured children of her. The state of Athas at the current time causes great sorrow for the pterrans. The respect for the Earth Mother is a guiding theme for the pterran, and they will oppose those that desecrate or show disrespect to the land. A greater number have started to journey across Athas, and contact with Tyr has been established, as well as with the merchant houses. Recent upheavals have convinced more pterrans to travel beyond the hinterlands to help the Earth Mother. Pterrans gather in tribes that range from 10 to 12 members to settlements of over 100 members. There are two major Pterran settlements, Lost Scale and Pterran Vale. In terms of society, druids play a huge role in the lives of Pterran communities, and run the ceremonies that life as a pterran settlement revolves around. At age 15, a pterran choses a Life Path. Though there are a number of lesser paths, most of them follow three major paths – the path of the druid, the path of the warrior or the path of the psion. The Triumvirate, the leaders of a pterran community, is comprised of the eldest member from each Life Path. Pterrans live for around 40 years under the dark sun. Many of those that have chosen the Path of the Warrior use the thanak – a sawed blade made with two strips of hardwood. Another weapon used is the slodak, a sword carved from a young hardwood tree and treated with a mixture of the blood of an Id fiend and sap. Physical Description Pterrans look more like humanoid pteradons than they do lizards, indicating that they may be related in some way to the pterrax, a race of flying creatures found on the rocky barrens of Athas. Standing roughly six feet tall, pterrans have light brown scales for skin. Along with their two arms and legs, pterrans also have a short, tail-like appendage and two rounded stubs on their backs, which further hint at their relationship to pterodactyls. The head of a pterran features large, almost bulbous eyes and a long snout, which is also the creature's mouth. The mouth of a pterran has many teeth, which are used for ripping its food apart. The arms of pterrans end with clawed hands, usable in both hunting and fighting. There are no obvious characteristics which distinguish males from females under normal circumstances. Ecology Pterrans are omnivorous, eating both meat and vegetation. Living mostly in the forests and jungles, their diet consists largely of game animals. Pterran hunting parties spend many hours a day in search of food for the tribe. The meat from a kirre is a favorite food of pterrans, as is that from an id fiend. When the hunting parties venture out towards the rocky barrens, they will, on occasion, catch a flailer, also a preferred food. Athasian Pterran Ability Score Increase – Your Wisdom score increases by 2 and your charisma score increases by 2 Size – Pterrans stand around 6ft tall and weigh between 180-220 pounds. Your size is Medium Speed – Your base walking speed is 30 feet Earth Mother Reverence – You have advantage on Nature checks Path of the Warrior – You are proficient in the Thanak, Oslak and Slodak, the signature weapons of the pterran Bite Attack – you can bite to inflict 1d4 piercing damage to an enemy as a second attack Poison Mastery – You have resistance to Poison Damage, as you are well versed in the application of poison to weapons. You also know how to create the Poison that is used to coat the teeth of the Thanak and the blade of a slodak. When extracting poison from a creature, you cannot be subjected to the poison. You also do not need possession of a poisoner’s kit, and you can make 1 dose of the poison per long rest. Language - You can speak Pterran and Common. Your literacy is determined by a roll made at character creation, but thri-kreen are very rarely literate. Language Though the Common tongue of the Tyr Region possesses a simple written form that is easily understood by those who devote time to learning it, it is not the only spoken or written language known. All of the city-states have dialects of the Common language that, while they may contain a few local idioms or unique words, are generally interchangable. If you prefer, instead of listing Common as your language, you can list your specific dialect of the Common tongue; Balican, Drajian, Gulgan, Hinterlander, Nibenese, Raamnian, Tyrian, or Urikite. Each of the races of Athas has its own tongue and script, though not all of them are known even to the race that created it. Basic Languages Language Speakers Script Common Humans, halflings, most speakers creatures Common Elven Elves Rellanic Dwarven Dwarves, muls, hejkins Davek Giant Giant, half-giants, tarek Barazhad Thri- Kreen Thri-kreen Chachik Gith Gith Gith It is worth noting that no dwarf alive can read the Davek script. As most dwarves are illiterate, this rarely arises as a problem, but when dwarves are forced to put words to record, they utilize a bastardization of Common and Barazhad scripts to convey meaning using Dwarvish syllables. Furthermore, few thri-kreen learn the written form of their language, and most that do are from the western Tablelands or the Crimson Savanna, where the nations of the tohr-kreen lie. Slave tribes and nomadic raiders are also known to have their own dialects, and these are usually less easy to understand without some exposure to it (or a translator to help determine the meaning of a particularly confusing turn of phrase). Linguists are not common on Athas. This is primarily due to the prevalence of illiteracy in the city-states and among the nomadic tribes of the wasteland, but also the lack of public works that allow the study of languages. Thus, uncommon languages might as well be wholly unavailable to those without special schooling or natural facility with them. Uncommon Languages Language Speakers Script Deep Speech Gith, psurlons, anakores Rellanic Draconic Wizards, Dray lokharic Primordial (Aquan) Clerics, Water Elementals Barazhad Primordial (Auran) Clerics, Air Elementals Barazhad Primordial (Ignan) Clerics, Fire Elementals Barazhad Primordial (Terran) Clerics, Earth Elementals Barazhad Sauric Pterrans Lokharic There may be other, lost languages scattered across the face of Athas from civilizations long-extinguished or races driven to extinction during the ancient Cleansing Wars Literacy The sorcerer-kings deliberately cultivate an illiterate populace, with only wealthy merchants, templars, and nobles having access to proper schooling. Even in free cities, such as Tyr, the populace has yet to create any organized centers of learning for the children of laborers or freemen. As such, player characters may or may not be literate at character creation. At 1st level, the character makes an Intelligence ability check to determine whether they are literate. The DC of this check is equal to 10 minus the character's level. Barbarians suffer disadvantage on this check. Bards, clerics, etc make this check with advantage. Wizards are automatically literate by necessity. An illiterate character cannot use scrolls or other magic items that rely on being able to read. Each level gained after 1st enables the character to make this Intelligence check again to see if they picked it up the ability to read during their travels. If a character is actively being tutored in reading and writing by another character or an NPC, they gain advantage on this check. Should a character become multiclassed, they use the method that is most beneficial to them (becoming literate automatically as a wizard, or checking with advantage as a multiclassed bard, cleric, etc). Player Character Literacy Like the general populace, most player characters have no ability to read or write. Unless your PC meets one or more of the following criteria, they will start the campaign illiterate. Nobles: Characters who possess the Highborn background are automatically literate. Scribes: Characters who possess proficiency in scribe's supplies are considered literate. Wizards: Wizards need to be able to read to learn and memorize spells so they are automatically literate Ages of Athas History of Athas The History of Athas is violent and has been left long forgotten. According to this account the planet progressed through several ages roughly corresponding to the color of the sun and the state of the planet. The Blue Age The Wanderer's Journal begins with the Edenic Blue Age when Athas was once covered with a vast body of life-giving water under a blue sun. Halflings ruled Athas during this time, building a powerful civilization. They were naturemasters and life-shapers, able to produce anything they needed by manipulating the principles of nature itself. The age came to an end by accident.The halflings of the great city of Tyr’agi tried to increase the sea's fecundity in order to produce more creatures and plants. The experiment failed, however, instead choking the sea with a toxic brown tide that spread across the waters, killing everything it touched. The Green Age The Wanderer's Journal claims that the Green Age began approximately 14,000 years before the setting's starting period. Desperate to save themselves and Athas from the brown tide, the halflings built the Pristine Tower, a powerful talisman that could harness the energies of the sun. The light of the Pristine Tower burned away the brown tide but also changed the planet. The sun changed from blue to yellow. The endless sea receded, revealing a verdant world of plant life. The halflings' civilization came to an end and most of them withdrew from the world and spiraled into savagery. The last of the nature-masters transformed themselves into new races, becoming humans, demihumans, and other humanoids that repopulated the world and built new civilizations. The former halfling center of Tyr’agi was renamed Tyr and the other great cities of the Tyr region, such as Ebe, Bodach and Giustenal, were built during this period. Due to mutations caused by the power of the Pristine Tower, the new people of Athas discovered they were gifted with myriad psionic powers. Soon a high standard of living was achieved for those dwelling in the cities supported by wonders created with psionics. The Time of Magic Among the new races were a rare and powerful race known as the pyreens. One of their number, Rajaat, would bring about sweeping changes to Athas. Rajaat discovered magic eight thousand years before the current age. Seeking more power he took possession of the Pristine Tower. Here he mastered this new force and developed two distinct ways; one that preserved nature, known as preserving, and one that exploited it, known as defiling. He taught preserving magic to the public but secretly selected fifteen human students with a potential for both psionics and magic for a darker purpose. Using the power of the Pristine Tower to harness the energy of the yellow sun, he transformed these fifteen into his Champions. Besides their native psionic powers and defiling magic, they were imbued with immortality and the ability to draw magical energy from living creatures through the use of obsidian orbs. The process of creating the Champions turned the sun from yellow to red. The Cleansing Wars Rajaat's ultimate desire was to exterminate all races except the halflings and return Athas to the splendor of the Blue Age. About 3,500 years before the current age, Rajaat assigned each of his Champions a race to exterminate and the ensuing years of struggle were known as the Cleansing Wars. The unbridled use of defiling magic unleashed by Rajaat and his Champions during the wars desolated the land, turning much of it into a savage, desert wasteland under a burning crimson sun. The non-existence of many of the typical D&D races, such as trolls and goblins, is due to these wars. The Age of the Sorcerer-Kings The struggles would have continued to completion had the Champions not discovered that Rajaat's true plans did not include their survival. Approximately 2,000 years before the current age,the Champions, led by Borys of Ebe, rebelled against their creator and used one of Rajaat's talismans, the Dark Lens, to imprison him in a shadow realm known as the Black. With Rajaat imprisoned, the former Champions renamed themselves Sorcerer-Kings and despotically divided up the surviving city-states among themselves. His escape would spell doom for all of them, so the former Champions selected Borys as Rajaat's warden. As warden, Borys would need to be transformed into a true dragon, a creature nearly unheard of in the setting, in order to be able to cast the spells required to maintain Rajaat's prison. The ritual that transformed Borys into a dragon caused him to go mad and embark on a century-long defiling rampage. The defiling during the Cleansing War had been substantial, but Borys's rampage was the tipping point that turned Athas into a hellish desert. 24 Magic on Athas Magic in Athas is relatively scarce and universally feared, while psionic powers are a common and accepted part of life. This chapter discusses the role of magic in Dark Sun, describes the planar cosmology of Athas, and includes spells lists and new spells for spellcasting characters. In addition, it discusses the relationship between magic and psionics on Athas; power lists and new powers are also included in this chapter. Magic in Athas The abuse of magic has shaped and scarred the world of Athas in the past 8,000 years. Because of that magic is universally feared and hated by the general populace. Wizards are outlaws that are hunted and killed by templars. Magic is hard to find, and even low‐level spells are not easily accessible. Spellcasters Athasian wizards drain energy from the surrounding soil. The method used labels wizards as defilers or preservers. Preservers have the self–control to gather energy without destroying plants. Those who do not, or who feel no remorse about the damage caused, become defilers. Defilers leave behind sterile soil and infertile ash when they cast spells. Due to this fact, most wastelanders blame wizards for the desert landscape that dominates the Tablelands today, and their hatred extends to defilers and preservers alike. Clerics, druids and rangers, like their counterparts on other worlds, cast divine spells. There are no paladins on Athas. Unlike most campaign settings, Athas does not have any gods to grant spells. Instead, clerics forge a pact with a particular element, and draw their power from the elemental planes themselves. Rangers learn to manipulate minor nature spirits, druids are granted their powers directly from the spirits of the lands, while templars are gifted with spell by their sorcerer‐kings. The Corruption of Power Defilers leave behind an ashen circle when casting spells. The radius is 5 ft. x spell slot level expended (a 0‐ level spell defiles a single 5‐ft. square occupied by the caster). Creatures except the defiler caught within the defiling radius at casting time experience pain and become sickened for 1 round. Plant creatures also suffer 2 hp damage x spell slot level expended (a 0‐level spell inflicts 1 hp damage). Defilerʹs ash is black and totally devoid of life‐giving properties. It is the telltale sign of wizardry. Nothing grows in a defiled area for years. Even if the defilerʹs ash moves with the wind, the ground remains a lifeless scar. A defiler cannot preserve, but a preserver can defile if desperate. When defiling, a wizard can extend the casting time of her spells to 1 round and gain a +1 bonus to caster level. Her defiling radius increases by 5 ft. Spells with a normal casting time of 1 round or longer require an extra round to be cast in this manner. Experienced defilers often increase their spellcasting power further through Raze feats (see Chapter 3: Heroic Characteristic). The Road to Corruption and Redemption Arcane casters who defile must roll a Will save DC 10 + spell level. Failing this save, they become defilers. Preservers succeeding the save lose their preserver status and become tainted. Tainted wizards are not defilers, but risk becoming so. Tainted wizards may seek redemption from a druid. The druid, if willing and able, can cast a conversion spell on the tainted wizard, restoring her preserver status (reset the number of times defiled to zero). Usually the defiler must undertake a quest or otherwise demonstrate a true willingness to redeem herself before the druid casts the conversion spell. Terrain Modifiers Terrain types affect arcane magic depending on the amount of plant life available. Barren and desolate terrains weaken spells, while fertile and abundant terrains boost spells. Spell save DCs and caster level checks are affected as indicated in Table: Terrain Modifiers. The Obsidian Plains are completely devoid of plant life. If arcane spellcasters have no alternative energy sources, or magical items such as wands, they are unable to cast spells in this terrain. Spellbooks Athasian wizards conceal their “spell books” from templars, rival wizards and others with ability to discern them for what they are. Spell books take many forms, including animal hides, stone and clay tablets, bone staves, knotted giant hair and necklaces of colored beads. Wizards use different, often personalized codes and systems for organizing their spells. The Disguise skill masks a spell book’s true nature. Someone inspecting the spell book must win an opposed Spellcraft vs. Disguise check to identify it as such. Every time a new spell is added, a spell book must be disguised anew. Unless in a hurry, a wizard normally takes 20 on this check. Services Arcane magic, due to its universal loathing by the general populace, is almost never offered for sale. Regardless, there exist some avaricious black souls that sell their abilities to casts spells for money. They are mostly found outside the city‐states, among the villages dotting the wastelands or living in the tribes trying to survive by raiding every unfortunate that crosses their path. On the other hands, divine spellcasters show less reticence using their powers to call upon the elements for the benefits of others. They still don’t overtly use these in the city‐states as the sorcerer‐kings and their templars don’t like to see such a power not under their control flaunted under their nose for all to see. Securing the services of an arcane or divine spellcaster is often difficult, requiring time spent on Knowledge (local) and Gather Information checks just to locate such an available and willing spellcaster. Pricing for such services, if available, is found on Table 5–10 in Chapter 5: Equipment. Communication Most forms of nonmundane communications are done psionically on Athas (see Psionics in Athas), although most Veiled Alliance members usually have these kind of spells easily available. Air clerics also fill this role with spells such as sending and whispering wind. Healing Though magical healing is prohibitively expensive for most Athasians, many Water clerics have many trained in the mundane art of healing. These clerics use the Heal skill to treat disease, injuries, and poison effectively and even treat sunburn and heatstroke, although some sort of donation to their temple is required before the service is performed. Transportation Arcane magical teleportation, such as teleport and dimension door, is very hard to find due to the ban on magics. Some elemental clerics have similar abilities, such as storm legion, waterways, and spirit of flame, which they usually reserve for members of their faith and nobles who are in most need of them. Other Services Since arcane magic is universally feared and loathed, forms to detect arcane casters are high on demand, either in arcane or divine nature. City druids are hard to find, and most veiled ones are too distrustful of other arcane users to openly sell this kind of service. Those interested have to rely on chasseurs (see Prestige Class Appendix 1) or greedy templars or reckless defilers for that. Goods Magic items are no harder to create in Athas, but there are less spellcasters making them. Most city‐states have banned all types of arcane magic, and clerics are barely tolerated by the templars, and vice‐versa. In general, magic items are harder to find and purchase in Athas than describer on Dungeon Master’s Guide. This difference is reflected in the adjustments to the Cp limit for smaller settlements, as shown on the following table. The Will and the Way: Psionics The third supernatural force prominent in the world is psionics, the power of themind. Psionics isn’t magic. It doesn’t use power provided by an outside agent or pulled from an external source. Instead, psionics draws upon the user’s own inner resources to produce extraordinary effects. Psionics is one of the cornerstones of Athasian life and society. Most living things possess some ability to use psionics, and all have developed at least minimal defenses against it. Almost every human, demihuman, and humanoid in the world is at least a wild talent, and even plants and animals have developed psionic disciplines to help them survive the brutal wilderness. In civilized regions, psionics has become a tool for advancement and political survival. A few have advanced beyond the natural talents they were born with to become full-fledged psionicists. These people study and practice, honing their psionic abilities to great heights. A psionicist works to perfect mind, body, and spirit into a unified, powerful whole. With an internal (or psionic) strength that comes from deep inside (from a place referred to as “the nexus”), a psionicist gives form and purpose to his will. The Will and the Way Athasians call innate psionic ability “the Will,” though psionicists also refer to their reserve of mental strength with this term. Wild talents have the Will, but rarely can they move beyond the single ability nature has provided them. The study of psionics and the refinement of psionic ability is called “the Way.” While the Will makes the use of psionics possible, only through the Way can a person truly master the powers of his mind. Natural Forces Unlike wizardly magic, psionics is an accepted part of life on Athas. Wild talents and psionicists aren’t feared. Instead, a community’s psionic members are valued as vital assets and encouraged to improve. In many ways, psionics has become the edge needed to compete and survive in this unforgiving and dangerous world. Some even believe that psionics can be used to compensate for the deterioration of Athas’s vital resources, but this has yet to be proven in any significant manner. Every city in the Tyr Region has schools devoted to the Way, and wandering teachers can even be found in the wilderness. It isn’t unusual for a priest or a wizard or a warrior to attend an Academy of the Way to develop his or her psionic abilities. Rumors of a psionic fraternity called the Order persist throughout the Tyr Region. It’s said that this group of highlevel psionicists is dedicated to two precepts: Psionics should only be studied for its own sake, and psionic talents should only be used to preserve the natural order of the world. The Order does in fact exist. A few years ago, one of its members used the psionic artifact called the Psionatrix in an attempt to conquer Athas. The attempt failed, and the Order has withdrawn from the affairs of the world—at least for the time being. The Will Athasians use the term Will to refer to someone’s innate ability for psionics. A nomad with a wild talent is said to have the Will, while a noble who studies at an academy of the Way but never learns more than the theory of psionics clearly lacks the Will. Without the desire to push oneself, to master the forces within, a person can never learn to use the Way. To psionicists, Will also refers to reserves of mental strength. Using psionic powers can be strenuous, and the limit of a character's endurance is his Will. Eventually, even the most powerful of masters becomes exhausted and must rest to replenish his strength. When wounds and exhaustion cloud the vision and the mind swims in delirium, only the greatest masters still Tarandas of Raam possess the Will to continue using their powers. The Way The Way is the study of the psionic sciences. Many people may possess the Will, but unless they are schooled in the Way they will never do more than scratch the surface of their potential. The study of the Way is difficult and demanding; not every creature with the Will can learn the Way, but every master of the Way must possess a strong measure of Will. The Way is very similar to the study of magic. Just as wizards strive to master more advanced and difficult spells, psionicists seek to unlock new and more powerful abilities. Unlike wizardry, there is no single formula that will reproduce an effect of the Way that will work the same for each individual. Students must independently develop the command of their powers. While many beings can discover the strength of the Will within themselves, most who go on to study the Way require guidance from a teacher. There are schools of the Way in every city of Athas, and merchant houses and noble families often pay dearly to have their scions educated by the best. Rarely, the academies waive tuition for a promising student of the free classes. Slaves are never formally instructed in the Way. In addition to the formal schools, there are wandering teachers or tribal elders who take it upon themselves to instruct those who show promise. Even field slaves may be instructed by an older, wiser slave in secret sessions. Most of these tutors can't provide the quality of training that a formal curriculum can, but some wandering masters are very capable and can provide an unrivaled education in the psionic arts. Psionics have been a part of Athasian society for thousands of years. It is almost certain that use of mental power predates the founding of most of the city-states of the Tyr region. The modern culture's understanding of psionics dates back almost 900 years to a woman known as Tarandas, the Gray Lady. Wild Talents Table The following powers are cantrips that can be used as either an action or a reaction, once per short rest. Any existing cantrips that are found in the Player’s Handbook deal Psychic damage instead of their original type of damage. On character creation, players will roll 1d100 and follow the below chart. 1 - 33: No psionics. Choose one bonus feat for which you meet the requirements. 34 - 66: Psionic resistant. No powers, but you gain a +4 bonus to all saving throws vs. psionics. 66 - 100: You gain the Wild Talent feat Then players will roll a d20 on the list below:

1. Guidance: As an action, you touch a willing creature, granting them a bonus 1d4 to the next ability check of their choice. Lasts up to 1 minute with concentration (PHB pg. 248).
2. Resistance: As an action, you touch a willing creature, granting them a bonus 1d4 to the next saving throw of their choice. Lasts up to 1 minute with concentration (PHB pg. 272).
3. Spare the Dying: As an action, you touch a living creature that has 0 or fewer hit points. That creature becomes stable (PHB pg. 277).
4. Blade Ward: As an action, you grant yourself resistance against bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage during the next round (PHB pg. 218).
5. Friends: As an action, you grant yourself advantage on all charisma checks directed at one non-hostile creature. Lasts for 1 minute with concentration (PHB pg. 244).
6. Mage Hand: As an action, you create a spectral hand that can reach out up to 30 feet, manipulating objects around it up to 10 pounds. The hand lasts for up to 1 minute (PHB pg. 256).
7. Minor Illusion: See PHB entry for full details, pg. 260.
8. Prestidigitation: See PHB entry for full details, pg. 267.
9. True Strike: As an action, you choose a target within 30 feet of you. On your next turn you have advantage against that target (PHB pg. 284).
10. Chill Touch: As an action, make a ranged attack roll against a target within 120 feet. On a hit, that target takes 1d8 psychic damage and can’t regain hit points until the start of your next turn (PHB pg. 221).
11. Body Equilibrium: You ignore speed penalties on difficult terrain, and have advantage on Athletics and Acrobatics checks based on balancing.
12. Far Hearing: Choose a point within 50 feet of you that you can see (or otherwise sense). For 1 minute you can now hear that point perfectly.
13. Know Direction: For 1 hour you know which direction north is, and have advantage on all Perception and Nature checks that relate to navigation.
14. Mental Tools: For 1 minute multiplied by your level, you create the mind projection of a simple tool that you can use to aid yourself. This tool is insubstantial when used against other creatures.
15. Object Projection: As an action, you teleport an object you are holding in one hand to a a space within 50 feet of you or to a willing creature within 50 feet of you.
16. Psionic Spark: As an action, you cause a single object or creature within 25 feet of you to catch on fire. The target takes fire damage equal to that of being hit with a torch.
17. Sensing Eye: As a bonus action, you choose a space you can see that is within 25 feet of you. Until the end of your next turn, you can determine your line of sight from that space.
18. Thought Projection: As a bonus action, you convey either an image or a message of 10 words or fewer to each target within a 15 foot radius centred on you.
19. Reroll. The second result’s range/duration/effect is doubled. Casting time and required action remains the same.
20. Reroll. The second result’s range/duration/effect is doubled. Casting time and required action remains the same Classes on Athas Barbarian The Barbarian of Athas is a wild, uncontrolled person. They often live on the fringes of society, they come from various races but most notibly the halflings. Many of these warriors train for years in combat with other tribes or city-states to hon their skills. Primal Instinct People of towns and cities⁠ take pride in how their civilized ways set them apart from animals, as if denying one’s own Nature was a mark of superiority. To a Barbarian, though, civilization is no virtue, but a sign of weakness. The strong embrace their animal nature—keen instincts, primal physicality, and ferocious rage. Barbarians are uncomfortable when hedged in by walls and crowds. They thrive in the wilds of their homelands: the tundra, jungle, or grasslands where their tribes live and hunt. Barbarians come alive in the chaos of combat⁠. They can enter a berserk state where rage takes over, giving them superhuman stre⁠ngth and resilience. A Barbarian can draw on this reservoir of fury only a few times without resting⁠, but those few rages are usually sufficient to defeat whatever threats arise. A Life of Danger Not every member of the tribes deemed “barbarians” by scions of civilized society has the Barbarian class. A true Barbarian among these people is as uncommon as a skilled⁠ fighter⁠ in a town, and he or she plays a similar role as a protector of the people and a leader in times of war. Life in the wild places of the world is fraught with peril: rival tribes, deadly weather, and terrifying Monsters. Barbarians charge headlong into that danger so that their people don’t have to. Their courage in the face of danger makes barbarians perfectly suited for Adventuring. Wandering is often a way of life for their native tribes, and the rootless life of the adventurer is little hardship for a Barbarian. Some barbarians miss the close-knit Family structures of the tribe, but eventually find them replaced by the bonds formed among the members of their adventuring⁠ parties. Creating a Barbarian When creating a Barbarian character, think about where your character comes from and his or her place in the world. Talk with your DM about an appropriate Origin for your Barbarian. Did you come from a distant land, making you a stranger in the area of the campaign? Or is the campaign set in a rough-and-tumble frontier where barbarians are common? What led you to take up the Adventuring life? Were you lured to settled lands by the promise of riches? Did you join forces with soldiers of those lands to face a shared threat? Did Monsters or an invading horde drive you out of your Homeland, making you a rootless refugee? Perhaps you were a prisoner of war, brought in chains to “civilized” lands and only now able to win your freedom. Or you might have been cast out from your people because of a crime you committed, a taboo you violated, or a coup that removed you from a position of authority. Quick Build You can make a Barbarian quickly by following these suggestions. First, put your highest ability score in Strength, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the Outlander Background. Primal Paths Barbarian characters have access to the following Primal Paths: Path of the Berserker, Path of the Totem Warrior (you may change the totem beasts to fit better with Dark Sun such as baazrags instead of bears, rocs instead of eagles, and jaguars instead of wolves), Path of the Ancestral Guardian, and Path of the Storm Herald (desert only). The Barbarian Level Proficiency Bonus Features Rages Rage Damage 1st +2 Rage, Unarmored Defense 2 +2 2nd +2 Reckless Attack, Danger Sense 2 +2 3rd +2 Primal Path 3 +2 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 3 +2 5th +3 Extra Attack, Fast Movement 3 +2 6th +3 Path Feature 4 +2 7th +3 Feral Instinct 4 +2 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 4 +2 9th +4 Brutal Critical (1 die) 4 +3 10th +4 Path Feature 4 +3 11th +4 Relentless Rage 4 +3 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 5 +3 13th +4 Brutal Critical (2 dice) 5 +3 14th +5 Path Feature 5 +3 15th +5 Persistent Rage 5 +3 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 5 +4 17th +6 Brutal Critical (3 dice) 6 +4 18th +6 Indomitable Might 6 +4 19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 6 +4 20th +6 Primal Champion Unlimited +4 Class Features As a Barbarian, you gain the following Class Features. Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d12 per Barbarian level Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d12 (or 7) + your Constitution modifier per Barbarian level after 1st Proficiencies Armor: Light⁠ armor, Medium Armor, Shields Weapons: Simple Weapons, martial weapons⁠ Tools: None Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution Skills: Choose two from Animal Handling, Athletics, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, and Survival Equipment You start with the following equip⁠ment, in addition to the equipment⁠ granted by your background: (a) a Greataxe or (b) any martial melee weapon (a) two handaxes or (b) any simple weapon An explorer’s pack and four javelins Rage In battle, you fight with primal ferocity. On Your Turn, you can enter a rage as a Bonus Action. While raging, you gain the following benefits if you aren’t wearing heavy armor: You have advantage on Strength Checks and Strength Saving Throws. When you make a melee weapon Attack using Strength, you gain a bonus to the damage roll that increases as you gain levels as a Barbarian, as shown in the Rage Damage column of the Barbarian table. You have Resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. If you are able to cast Spells, you can’t cast them or concentrate on them while raging. Your rage lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are knocked Unconscious or if Your Turn ends and you haven’t attacked a Hostile creature since your last turn or taken damage since then. You can also end your rage on Your Turn as a Bonus Action. Once you have raged the number of times shown for your Barbarian level in the Rages column of the Barbarian table, you must finish a Long Rest before you can rage again. Unarmored Defense While you are not wearing any armor, your Armor⁠ Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier. You can use a Shield and still gain this benefit. Reckless Att⁠ack Starting at 2nd Level, you can throw aside all concern for Defense to Attack with fierce desperation. When you make your first Attack on Your Turn, you can decide to a⁠ttack recklessly. Doing so gives you advantage on melee weapon a⁠ttack rolls using Strength during this turn, but atta⁠ck rolls against you have advantage until your next turn. Danger Sense At 2nd Level, you gain an uncanny sense of when things nearby aren’t as they should be, giving you an edge when you dodge away from danger. You have advantage on Dexterity Saving Throws against Effects that you can see, such as traps and Spells. To gain this benefit, you can’t be Blinded, Deafened, or Incapacitated. Primal Path At 3rd Level, you choose a path that shapes the Nature of your rage. Choose the Path of the Berserker or the Path of the Totem Warrior, both detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd Level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels. 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
21. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Extra Attack Beginning at 5th Level, you can Attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on Your Turn. Fast Movement⁠ Starting at 5th Level, your speed increases by 10 feet while you aren’t wearing Heavy Armor. Feral Instinct By 7th level, your instincts are so honed that you have advantage on Initiative rolls. Additionally, if you are surprised at the beginning of Combat and aren’t Incapacitated, you can act normally on your first turn, but only if you enter your rage before doing anything else on that turn. Brutal Critical Beginning at 9th level, you can roll one additional weapon damage die when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with a melee Attack. This increases to two additional dice at 13th level and three additional dice at 17th level. Relentless⁠ Rage Starting at 11th level, your rage can keep you fighting despite grievous wounds. If you drop to 0 Hit Points while you’re raging and don’t die outright, you can make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. If you succeed, you drop to 1 hit point instead. Each time you use this feature after the first, the DC increases by 5. When you finish a short or Long Rest, the DC resets to 10. Persistent Rage Beginning at 15th level, your rage is so fierce that it ends early only if you fall Unconscious or if you choose to end it. Indomitable Might Beginning at 18th level, if your total for a Strength check is less than your Strength score, you can use that score in place of the total. Primal Champion⁠ At 20th level, you embody the power of the wilds. Your Strength and Constitution scores increase by 4. Your maximum for those scores is now 24. Primal Paths Rage burns in every barbarian’s heart, a furnace that drives him or her toward greatness. Different barbarians attribute their rage to different sources, however. For some, it is an internal reservoir where pain, grief, and anger are forged into a fury hard as steel. Others see it as a spiritual blessing, a gift of a totem animal. Path of the Berserker For some barbarians, rage is a means to an end—that end being violence. The Path of the Berserker is a path of untrammeled fury, slick with blood. As you enter the berserker’s rage, you thrill in the chaos of battle, heedless of your own health or well-being. Frenzy Starting when you choose this path at 3rd Level, you can go into a frenzy when you rage. If you do so, for the Duration of your rage you can make a single melee weapon Attack as a Bonus Action on each of your turns after this one. When your rage ends, you suffer one level of Exhaustion. Mindless Rage Beginning at 6th level, you can’t be Charmed or Frightened while raging. If you are Charmed or Frightened when you enter your rage, the effect is suspended for the Duration of the rage. Intimidating Presence Beginning at 10th level, you can use your action to frighten someone with your menacing presence. When you do so, choose one creature that you can see within 30 feet of you. If the creature can see or hear you, it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Charisma modifier) or be Frightened of you until the end of your next turn. On subsequent turns, you can use your action to extend the Duration of this effect on the Frightened creature until the end of your next turn. This effect ends if the creature ends its turn out of line of sight or more than 60 feet away from you. If the creature succeeds on its saving throw, you can’t use this feature on that creature again for 24 hours. Retaliation Starting at 14th level, when you take damage from a creature that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your Reaction to make a melee weapon Attack against that creature. Path of the Totem Warrior The Path of the Totem Warrior is a spiritual journey, as the Barbarian accepts a spirit animal as guide, protector, and Inspiration. In battle, your totem spirit fills you with supernatural might, adding magical fuel to your barbarian⁠ rage. Most Barbarian tribes consider a totem animal to be kin to a particular clan. In such cases, it is unusual for an individual to have more than one totem animal spirit, though exceptions exist. Spirit Seeker Yours is a path that seeks attunement⁠ with the natural world, giving you a kinship with Beasts. At 3rd Level when you adopt this path, you gain the ability to cast the Beast Sense and Speak with Animals Spells, but only as Rituals. Totem Spirit At 3rd Level, when you adopt this path, you choose a totem spirit and gain its feature. You must make or acquire a physical totem object—an amulet⁠ or similar adornment—that incorporates fur or feathers, claws, teeth, or bones of the totem animal. At your option, you also gain minor physical attributes that are reminiscent of your totem spirit⁠. For example, if you have a bear totem spirit, you might be unusually hairy and thick-skinned, or if your totem is the eagle, your eyes turn bright yellow. Your totem animal might be an animal related to those listed here but more appropriate to your Homeland. For example, you could choose a hawk or Vulture in place of an eagle. Baazrag. While raging, you have Resistance to all damage except psychic damage. The spirit of the baazrag makes you tough enough to stand up to any punishment. Kestrekel. While you’re raging, other creatures have disadvantage on opportunity Attack rolls against you, and you can use the Dash action as a Bonus Action on Your Turn. The spirit of the kestrekel makes you into a predator who can weave through the fray with ease. Tigone. While you’re raging, your allies have advantage on melee Attack rolls against any creature within 5 feet of you that is Hostile to you. The spirit of the Tigone makes you a leader of hunters. Totem Warrior Spirits The animals listed as totems in the Player's Handbook and Sword Coast Adventurer's guide for the have all gone extinct on Athas. Dark Sun barbarians substitute the following creatures Player's Handbook Klar (Bear) These massive beasts look like kodiak bears with chitinous plates covering their backs and claws like curved daggers. Kes'trekel (Eagle) These carrion eaters are considered harbingers of death by the nomads of wastes. They look like large black vultures with vicious hooked beaks. Dagorran (Wolf) Vicious predators of the wastes. These reptilian beasts are feared throughout Athas for their ability to track their prey by sensing their psychic signatures. Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide Sygra (Elk) These nimble herd beasts resemble small horses with curving antlers. Kirre (Tiger) Eight-legged great cats who stalk the Forest Ridge. Kirre are apex predators equipped with claws, fangs, a pair of horns, and spiked tails. Aspect of the Beast At 6th level, you gain a magical benefit based on the totem animal of your choice. You can choose the same animal you selected at 3rd Level or a different one. Baazrag. You gain the might of a Baazrag. Your carrying Capacity (including maximum load and maximum lift) is doubled, and you have advantage on Strength Checks made to push, pull, lift, or break objects⁠. Kestrekel. You gain the eyesight of an Kestrekel. You can see up to 1 mile away with no difficulty, able to discern even fine details as though looking at something no more than 100 feet away from you. Additionally, dim light doesn’t impose disadvantage on your Wisdom (Perception) checks. Tigone. You gain the hunting sensibilities of a Tigone. You can track other creatures while traveling at a fast pace, and you can move stealthily while traveling at a normal pace. Spirit Walker At 10th level, you can cast the Commune with Nature spell, but only as a ritual. When you do so, a spiritual version of one of the animals you chose for Totem Spirit or Aspect of the Beast appears to you to convey the information you seek. Totemic Attunement At 14th level, you gain a magical benefit based on a totem animal of your choice. You can choose the same animal you selected previously or a different one. Baazrag. While you’re raging, any creature within 5 feet of you that’s Hostile to you has disadvantage on Attack rolls against Targets other than you or another character with this feature. An enemy is immune to this effect if it can’t see or hear you or if it can’t be Frightened. Kestrekel. While raging, you have a flying speed equal to your current walking speed. This benefit works only in short bursts; you fall if you end Your Turn in the air and nothing else is holding you aloft. Tigone. While you’re raging, you can use a Bonus Action on Your Turn to knock a Large or smaller creature prone when you hit it with melee weapon Attack. Path of the Ancestral Guardian Some barbarians hail from cultures that revere their ancestors. These tribes teach that the warriors of the past linger in the world as mighty spirits, who can guide and protect the living. When a barbarian who follows this path rages, the barbarian contacts the spirit world and calls on these guardian spirits for aid. Barbarians who draw on their ancestral guardians can better fight to protect their tribes and their allies. In order to cement ties to their ancestral guardians, barbarians who follow this path cover themselves in elaborate tattoos that celebrate their ancestors’ deeds. These tattoos tell sagas of victories against terrible monsters and other fearsome rivals. Ancestral Protectors Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, spectral warriors appear when you enter your rage. While you’re raging, the first creature you hit with an attack on your turn becomes the target of the warriors, which hinder its attacks. Until the start of your next turn, that target has disadvantage on any attack roll that isn't against you, and when the target hits a creature other than you with an attack, that creature has resistance to the damage of the target’s attacks. Spirit Shield Beginning at 6th level, the guardian spirits that aid you can provide supernatural protection to those you defend. If you are raging and a creature you can see within 30 feet of you takes damage, you can use your reaction to reduce that damage by 2d6. When you reach certain levels in this class, you can reduce the damage by more: by 3d6 at 10th level and by 4d6 at 14th level. Consult the Spirits At 10th level, you gain the ability to consult with your ancestral spirits. When you do so, you cast the Augury or Clairvoyance spell, without using a spell slot or material components. Rather than creating a spherical sensor, this use of Clairvoyance invisibly summons one of your ancestral spirits to the chosen location. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells. After you cast either spell in this way, you can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest. Vengeful Ancestors At 14th level, your ancestral spirits grow powerful enough to retaliate. When you use your Spirit Shield to reduce the damage of an attack, the attacker takes an amount of force damage that your Spirit Shield prevents. Bard From the shadowy corners of Athas’ most disreputable places hails the bard. Like their counterparts in other fantasy worlds, Athasian bards are the unquestioned masters of oral tradition and forgotten lore, but rather than sharing their lore with whoever will listen, Athasian bards guard their secrets as jealously as the sorcerer‐kings harbor their water and iron. Athasian bards may sell information to the highest bidder; they peddle their services and the fruits of their knowledge, but trade secrets are what give bards an edge on the uninitiated. Bards would rather die than reveal these secrets. Meeting a bard can be an uneasy encounter, since one never knows how the bard has chosen to devote his multiple talents. Some bards master the art of making poisons, and survive by selling these poisons and their antidotes for those who have coin to pay. Some bards master the art of entertainment, using their performances to amuse nobles and templars and gain wealth. Some become assassins, mixing their knowledge of poison and stealth to become hired hands. Bards’ unique position in the Athasian society means they often overhear conversations between high‐ranking templars or nobles, or they may have treated an injured person that prefers to remain anonymous. Respectable folk despise them; the powerful fear them; but in the Athasian cities, everyone eventually comes to need their services. Making a Bard: Bards receive numerous abilities they can use to survive. Many become masters of poisons, selling their illegal substances to anyone. Alone of the classes, bards hold the secrets of alchemy, creating fiery concoctions and mysterious mixes. Bards are master smugglers, selling spell components and other illegal items in the Bard’s Quarters of the city‐states. All bards, however, have some degree of entertainment skill. The songs of most bards can dazzle a crowd, or incite them to riot. Bards tend to learn to play a variety of instruments, or recite poetry or old legends by campfire. They can be acrobats, performing dazzling displays of physical prowess. They are often called upon as sources of information. Abilities: Charisma is the most important ability for a bard, because many of their abilities and skills are affected by it. A high Dexterity improves the bard’s defensive ability. Intelligence is also important because it bolsters the number of skills he can work with. Races: All humanoid races of Athas can become bards. The social stigma in certain regions may be higher than others, however. For example, the loremasters of the halflings of the Jagged Cliffs are highly regarded because of the ancient secrets and histories they preserve. But in the city‐states, where the Bard’s Quarters are notorious, being a bard is not usually a good thing. Elven tribes often have a bard, who keeps the history of the tribe alive, its conquests and defeats. Humans are often bards, becoming performers of great talent, or assassins of deadly skill and precision. Half‐elves, because of their lonely existence, often take to being bards. The prejudice they face at every stage in life can move some to become great poets or singers. Muls and half‐giants make poor bards; their talents are usually better served elsewhere than the stage or the shadows of alleys. As well, thri‐kreen are rarely seen as bards, relying instead upon their racial memory. Alignment: Most bards are chaotic, and operate alone, brokering information, arranging deals, smuggling illegal wares such as poisons, drugs, spell components and other things. Neutral bards are the ones most likely to operate in fellowships with adventurers, or entertain in troupes with other bards. The rare lawful bards can easily secure positions as councilors or agents for templars, and noble and merchant houses. Good bards are often entertainers or lorekeepers,putting their talents to benevolent use, sometimes diagnosing poisonings and selling the proper antidotes. Evil bards are often masters of poisons and alchemy, selling their wares to anyone with the ceramic to pay. Playing a Bard: You are a master of oral tradition and lore, and a true artist, but you share your talents only with those who can afford to pay you. You are an artist. You are the center of attention (whenever you want to), the person everyone wants to talk to, and the “face” of the party. Even if you aren’t the most attractive or charismatic member of your group, your unequaled skill at performance arts creates an irresistible appeal born of justified confidence. You are more than just light entertainment, though. Your target rarely survives the encounter if you don’t want him to. You might adventure because you desire entertainment. Someone with your smarts gets bored easily. Alternatively, you may have been blacklisted on your current location because of a “business transaction” gone wrong. You have to keep moving, and adventuring offers you a regular change of scenery. In any case, a life of adventure allows you to see new things, meet interesting people, and get some silvers in the process. Religion: No central bardic organization exists, and more often than not bards have no particular penchant for religion. Some may worship the elements, fearing the power of the elemental forces, and most bards tend to relate to the Air ever‐changing nature, but bards that worship sorcerer‐ kings are rare. A lifestyle of breaking the rules of the city‐ states does not lend one to worship the lawgivers. Other Classes: Bards face life as it comes, and usually hold no special grudge or awe for any one class. They usually approach other’s profession on the basis of how it can help them at the moment. Clerics and druids are respected for their devotion to a divine force, but usually not held in awe. Fighters, gladiators and rangers can be useful as sword–arms but are otherwise useless to the bard. Bards do not view wizards with the same aversion as others might view them, since bards sell them their components. Combat: A bard rarely seeks to initiate combat―instead he skulks about, looking for an opportunity to strike swiftly, using his poisons to their greatest advantage. You work best with teammates, maneuvering to get flanks and help bring down opponents with your various poisons. Use your bardic music to bolster your allies and distract your opponents while the real heavy hitters in your group mop them up. Class Features As a Bard, you gain the following class features. Hit Dice: 1d8 per Bard level Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per Bard level after 1st Proficiencies Armor: Light armor Weapons: Simple weapons, shortsword, bard’s friend, crossbow (any), garrote, greater blowgun, whip, widow’s knife Tools: Three from the following list: Any musical instrument, Alchemist’s supplies, Herbalism kit, Poisoner’s kit, Thieves’ tools Saving Throws: Intelligence, Constitution Skills: Choose any three Bardic Inspiration You can inspire others through stirring words or music. 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 Bardic 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 Bardic Inspiration die, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. Once the Bardic Inspiration die is rolled, it is lost. A creature can have only one Bardic Inspiration die at a time. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest. Your Bardic 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. Smuggler You receive a +1 bonus to Deception and Sleight of Hand checks for every two bard levels. The Athasian Bard Level Proficiency Bonus Features 1st +2 Bardic Inspiration (d6), Smuggler 2nd +2 Jack of All Trades, Song of Rest, Careful Poisoner 3rd +2 Bard Academy, Expertise 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement, Trade Secret 5th +3 Bardic Inspiration (d8), Font of Inspiration, Mental Reistance 6th +3 Countercharm, Bard Academy Feature, Quick Thinking 7th +3 Improved Careful Poisoner 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement, Trade Secrets 9th +4 Song of Rest (d8) 10th +4 Bardic Inspiration (d10), Expertise 11th +4 Quick Thinking 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement, Trade Secrets 13th +5 Song of Rest (d10) 14th +5 Bard Academy Feature 15th +5 Bardic Inspiration (d20) 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement, Trade Secrets, Quick Thinking 17th +6 Song of Rest (d12) 18th +6 -- 19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 20th +6 Superior Inspration, Trade Secrets 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. Song of Rest Beginning at 2nd level, you can use soothing music or oration to help revitalize your wounded allies during a short rest. If you or any friendly creatures who can hear your performance regain hit points at the end of the short rest, each of those creatures regains an extra 1d6 hit points. The extra hit points increase when you reach certain levels in this class: to 1d8 at 9th level, to 1d10 at 13th level, and to 1d12 at 17th level. Careful Poisoner Bards are trained in the use of poisons, and as of 2nd level, never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a blade. Expertise At 3rd level, choose two of your skill proficiencies. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies. At 10th level, you can choose another two skill proficiencies to gain this benefit. 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
22. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Trade Secrets At every 4th level you learn a trade secret chosen from the list below. Alchemy Dealer: Pay one‐half of the market price for raw materials needed to craft alchemical items. Accurate: When you attack an armored opponent, your accuracy allows you to ignore 1 point of natural armor bonus to AC or 1 point of armor bonus to AC. This trade secret may be chosen more than once, and its effects stack. Agile: You receive a +1 bonus to AC. This trade secret may be chosen more than once, and its effects stack. Coolheaded: You may take 10 on Deception and Persuasion checks. Improvised Materials: You can craft poisons from raw materials at hand instead of relying on specific ingredients. Doing so increases the difficulty check DC by 5 but otherwise has no effect on the poison’s potency. Poison Dealer: Pay one‐half of the market price for raw materials needed to craft poisons. Poisonbane: You receive a +4 bonus to checks when creating antitoxin and poison antidotes. Poison Resistance: You receive a +4 bonus to saving throws against poisons. Scorpion’s Touch: Add +1 to the save DC of all poisons applied by you. This trade secret may be chosen more than once, and its effects stack. Skilled: Add one‐half your bard level (rounded down) as a competence bonus to one of the following skills: Deception, Persuasion, Medicine, Performance, Investigation, Insight or Sleight of Hand. This trade secret may be chosen more than once, each time it applies to a different skill. Smokestick Application: You can combine inhaled poisons with smokesticks. All creatures within the area of the smokestick (covers a 10‐ft. cube) are affected by the poison you applied to the smokestick. Versatile: Select any two skills you are not proficient with. You are now proficient with these skills. Font of Inspiration Beginning when you reach 5th level, you regain all of your expended uses of Bardic Inspiration when you finish a short or long rest. Mental Resistance Bards carry many dark secrets they would prefer remain secret. This, combined with a large amount of knowledge based on half‐truths and false rumors makes your mind unreliable to those who would seek to mentally affect it. At 5th level you receive a +2 bonus to saves made against telepathic powers and enchantment/charm spells. Countercharm At 6th level, you gain the ability to use musical notes or words of power to disrupt mind-influencing effects. As an action, you can start a performance that lasts until the end of your next turn. During that time, you and any friendly creatures within 30 feet of you have advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed. A creature must be able to hear you to gain this benefit. The performance ends early if you are incapacitated or silenced or if you voluntarily end it (no action required). Quick Thinking Bards often find themselves in a tight spot where they have to act quickly, whether it is to escape a templar patrol or strike first when in confrontation with a foe. At 6th level, you get a +1 bonus on initiative checks. This bonus increases by 1 at 11th and 16th level. Improved Careful Poisoner At 7th level, you can apply poison to a weapon as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity. Superior Inspiration At 20th level, when you roll initiative and have no uses of Bardic Inspiration left, you regain one use. Bard Academies The way of the Bard is discreet and subtle. Still, these wandering musicians often seek companionship with the only ones in the wastes that know their struggles, other Bards. They swap songs and stories, boast of their accomplishments, share their knowledge, and sharpen their abilities. They form loose associations, which they call academies, to facilitate their gatherings and preserve their traditions. Academy of Alchemy Bards of the Academy of Alchemy are the only masters of their work in the wastes, able to craft healing concoctions and deadly poisons. Whether crushing leaves and needles to make a paste to seal his friend’s wound, or carefully cultivating deadly nightshade and stalking a tembo for his droppings, these bards use their gifts to great effect. When the night is ending and the harsh crimson sun of Athas is cresting its head above the horizon, a few less people may live that day. Poison & Alchemical Crafting When you join the Academy of Alchemy at 3rd level, you gain the ability to craft poisons and alchemical items using a mortar and pestle. Simply ask around the Bard’s Quarters of most cities in the Tablelands and they will point you to the necessary supplies. Mysterious Travel Also at 3rd level, you know the hidden alleyways and passages in most cities, allowing you to procure your necessary supplies, silence nosey troublemakers, and travel quickly by the light of Ral & Guthay. You gain advantage on Stealth checks made in cities at night. Venomous Coercion At 6th level, you gain advantage on Persuasion checks made to encourage someone to consume or otherwise unknowingly intake a poison. Advantage is not granted if the person is suspicious or knows that there is a poison. Peerless Skill Starting at 14th 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 roil the die for the ability check, but before the DM tells you whether you succeed or fail. Academy of Survival Bards of the Academy of Survival are daring skalds whose tales keep alive the hope of a better future, and thereby inspire a new generation of warriors. These bards gather in taverns or around great bonfires to sing the deeds of the mighty, both past and present. They travel the land to witness great events firsthand and to ensure that the memory of those events doesn’t pass from the world. With their songs, they inspire others to campaign and fight for a better future for all. Bonus Proficiencies When you join the Academy of Survival at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with medium armor, shields, the Survival skill and martial weapons. Combat Inspiration Also at 3rd level, you learn to inspire others in battle. A creature that has a Bardic 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 Bardic 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. Extra Attack Starting at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Battle Psionics At 14th level, you have mastered the art of weaving psionics and weapon use into a single harmonious act. When you use your action to manifest a psionic ability, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action. Academy of Whispers Most folk are happy to welcome a bard into their midst. Bards of the College of Whispers use this to their advantage. They appear to be like any other bard, sharing news, singing songs, and telling tales to the audiences they gather. In truth, the College of Whispers teaches its students that they are wolves among sheep. These bards use their knowledge and magic to uncover secrets and turn them against others through extortion and threats. Many other bards hate the College of Whispers, viewing it as a parasite that uses the bards’ reputation to acquire wealth and power. For this reason, these bards rarely reveal their true nature unless they must. They typically claim to follow some other college, or keep their true nature secret in order to better infiltrate and exploit royal courts and other settings of power. Psychic Blades When you join the College of Whispers 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 Bardic Inspiration to deal an additional 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. Words of Terror At 3rd level, you learn to infuse innocent-seeming words with an insidious magic that can inspire terror. If you speak to a humanoid alone for at least 1 minute, you can attempt to seed paranoia and fear into its mind. At the end of the conversation, the target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or be frightened of you or another creature of your choice. The target is frightened in this way for 1 hour, until it is attacked or damaged, or until it witnesses its allies being attacked or damaged. If the target succeeds on its saving throw, the target has no hint that you tried to frighten it. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short rest or long rest. Mantle of Whispers At 6th level, you gain the ability to adopt a humanoid's persona. When a humanoid dies within 30 feet of you, you can magically capture its shadow using your reaction. You retain this shadow until you use it or you finish a long rest. You can use the shadow as an action. When you do so, it vanishes, magically transforming into a disguise that appears on you. You now look like the dead person, but healthy and alive. This disguise lasts for 1 hour or until you end it as a bonus action. While you're in the disguise, you gain access to all information that the humanoid would freely share with a casual acquaintance. Such information includes general details on its background and personal life, but doesn't include secrets. The information is enough that you can pass yourself off as the person by drawing on its memories. Another creature can see through this disguise by succeeding on a Wisdom (Insight) check contested by your Charisma (Deception) check. You gain a +5 bonus to your check. Once you capture a shadow with this feature, you can't capture another one with it until you finish a short or long rest. Shadow Lore At 14th level, you gain the ability to weave dark magic into your words and tap into a creature’s deepest fears. As an action, you magically whisper a phrase that only one creature of your choice within 30 feet of you can hear. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. It automatically succeeds if it doesn’t share a language with you or if it can’t hear you. On a successful saving throw, your whisper sounds like unintelligible mumbling and has no effect. If the target fails its saving throw, it is charmed by you for the next 8 hours or until you or your allies attack or damage it. It interprets the whispers as a description of its most mortifying secret. While you gain no knowledge of this secret, the target is convinced you know it. While charmed in this way, the creature obeys your commands for fear that you will reveal its secret. It won’t risk its life for you or fight for you, unless it was already inclined to do so. It grants you favors and gifts it would offer to a close friend. When the effect ends, the creature has no understanding of why it held you in such fear. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest. 38 Cleric In a world without gods, spiritualism on Athas has unlocked the secrets of the raw forces of which the very planet is comprised: earth, air, fire, and water. However, other forces exist which seek to supplant them and rise to ascendancy in their place. These forces have taken up battle against the elements of creation on the element’s own ground in the form of entropic perversions of the elements themselves: magma, rain, silt and sun. Making a Cleric: Clerics are the masters of elemental forces; they possess unique supernatural abilities to direct and harness elemental energy, and cast elemental spells. All things are comprised of the four elements in some degree, thus clerics can use their elemental powers to heal or harm others. Due to their affinities with the elements, clerics possess a number of supernatural elemental abilities. Though dimly understood, there exists a connection between elemental forces and the nature of undeath. Clerics can turn away, control, or even destroy undead creatures. Athas is a dangerous world; this practicality dictates that clerics must be able to defend themselves capably. Clerics are trained to use simple weapons and, in some cases, martial weapons; they are also taught to wear and use armor, since wearing armor does not interfere with elemental spells as it does arcane spells. Races: All races include clerics in their societies, though each race possesses different perspectives regarding what a cleric’s role involves. As masters of myth and the elemental mysteries, most clerics hold a place of reverence within their respective societies. However, more than a few races have varying affinities for one element over another. Dwarves almost always become earth clerics, a connection they’ve shared since before they were driven from their halls under the mountains. Dwarven determination and obsessive dedication matches perfectly with the enduring earth. Elves most often revere water, fire, or the winds; as nomads, they seldom feel a deep–seated affinity for the land. Thri‐kreen are known to ally with all elements to the exclusion of fire. This seems to stem from a mistrust of flame, which is common in many kreen. Alignment: Attaining the abilities of a true servant of the elements requires a deep understanding of the chosen kind of element of paraelement. An aspiring cleric must make a study of the element’s typical personality and role; opens the door to the element’s power. Thus, Athasians clerics align their morals to suit the traits of the element to which they dedicate themselves. Playing a Cleric: The clerics of Athas are like the rare snows that blanket the highest peaks of the Ringing Mountains. Though the cascading flakes all seem the same, the pattern of each is as different as the faces of men are from muls. Indeed, clerics are like snowflakes, each preaching about preservation and the elements, but no two of them do it for the same reason. This makes these environmental warriors an extremely diverse and interesting class to play. Some are merely power‐hungry, some seek revenge, and some are honestly struggling to save their dying planet and reverse the ancient environmental disaster. You are a servant of your element, your goal in life is to expand its presence in Athas, and find your element’s foes and destroy them with your cleansing element. You adventure out of a desire to preach the words of your element, prove your worth and to destroy infidels who worship opposed elements. Religion: Unlike clerics found on other worlds, elemental clerics do not generally congregate at temples or churches, nor do they participate in a uniform, organized religion. Each cleric’s calling to the raw energy of the elements is personal, individual. Some clerics believe that, upon their initiation, they enter pacts with powerful beings, elemental lords, who grant powers to those who contract with them. Others believe that the elements are neither malevolent nor benevolent, but a tool to be used, or a force to be harnessed. Regardless, all clerics desire the preservation of their patron element, though the reasons for this are many and varied. Clerics are found everywhere on Athas. Most common clerics are wanderers, who preach the concept ofpreservation with the hope of restoring Athas to a greener state. Wanderers are generally well received by those that dwell in the desert, such as villagers and slave tribes. They cure the sick and heal the wounded, sometimes even aiding in defeating local threats. Other clerics act as wardens of small, hidden shrines, which they hope creates a clearer channel to the elemental plane of worship, and fortifies their powers and spells. Tribal and primitive societies include shamans, who see to the spiritual needs of their groups, offering advice to the leaders and providing supernatural protection and offence. Lastly, some clerics stay in the cities, where they most commonly work against the sorcerer‐ kings and their templars. There they quietly preach the message of preservation to the citizenry, and even sometimes work with the Veiled Alliance. Other Classes: In an adventuring party, the cleric often fills the role of advisor and protector. Clerics often possess an unshakable distrust of wizards and their arcane spells. Most clerics are well aware of the danger that sorcery represents to the dying planet, and watch those who wield such power carefully. Cleric In a world without gods, spiritualism on Athas has unlocked the secrets of the raw forces of which the very planet is comprised: earth, air, fire, and water. However, other forces exist which seek to supplant them and rise to ascendancy in their place. These forces have taken up battle against the elements of creation on the element’s own ground in the form of entropic perversions of the elements themselves: magma, rain, silt and sun. Making a Cleric: Clerics are the masters of elemental forces; they possess unique supernatural abilities to direct and harness elemental energy, and cast elemental spells. All things are comprised of the four elements in some degree, thus clerics can use their elemental powers to heal or harm others. Due to their affinities with the elements, clerics possess a number of supernatural elemental abilities. Though dimly understood, there exists a connection between elemental forces and the nature of undeath. Clerics can turn away, control, or even destroy undead creatures. Athas is a dangerous world; this practicality dictates that clerics must be able to defend themselves capably. Clerics are trained to use simple weapons and, in some cases, martial weapons; they are also taught to wear and use armor, since wearing armor does not interfere with elemental spells as it does arcane spells. Alignment: Attaining the abilities of a true servant of the elements requires a deep understanding of the chosen kind of element of paraelement. An aspiring cleric must make a study of the element’s typical personality and role; opens the door to the element’s power. Thus, Athasians clerics align their morals to suit the traits of the element to which they dedicate themselves. Races: All races include clerics in their societies, though each race possesses different perspectives regarding what a cleric’s role involves. As masters of myth and the elemental mysteries, most clerics hold a place of reverence within their respective societies. However, more than a few races have varying affinities for one element over another. Dwarves almost always become earth clerics, a connection they’ve shared since before they were driven from their halls under the mountains. Dwarven determination and obsessive dedication matches perfectly with the enduring earth. Elves most often revere water, fire, or the winds; as nomads, they seldom feel a deep–seated affinity for the land. Thri‐kreen are known to ally with all elements to the exclusion of fire. This seems to stem from a mistrust of flame, which is common in many kreen. Playing a Cleric: The clerics of Athas are like the rare snows that blanket the highest peaks of the Ringing Mountains. Though the cascading flakes all seem the same, the pattern of each is as different as the faces of men are from muls. Indeed, clerics are like snowflakes, each preaching about preservation and the elements, but no two of them do it for the same reason. This makes these environmental warriors an extremely diverse and interesting class to play. Some are merely power‐hungry, some seek revenge, and some are honestly struggling to save their dying planet and reverse the ancient environmental disaster. You are a servant of your element, your goal in life is to expand its presence in Athas, and find your element’s foes and destroy them with your cleansing element. You adventure out of a desire to preach the words of your element, prove your worth and to destroy infidels who worship opposed elements. Religion: Unlike clerics found on other worlds, elemental clerics do not generally congregate at temples or churches, nor do they participate in a uniform, organized religion. Each cleric’s calling to the raw energy of the elements is personal, individual. Some clerics believe that, upon their initiation, they enter pacts with powerful beings, elemental lords, who grant powers to those who contract with them. Others believe that the elements are neither malevolent nor benevolent, but a tool to be used, or a force to be harnessed. Regardless, all clerics desire the preservation of their patron element, though the reasons for this are many and varied. Clerics are found everywhere on Athas. Most common clerics are wanderers, who preach the concept ofpreservation with the hope of restoring Athas to a greener state. Wanderers are generally well received by those that dwell in the desert, such as villagers and slave tribes. They cure the sick and heal the wounded, sometimes even aiding in defeating local threats. Other clerics act as wardens of small, hidden shrines, which they hope creates a clearer channel to the elemental plane of worship, and fortifies their powers and spells. Tribal and primitive societies include shamans, who see to the spiritual needs of their groups, offering advice to the leaders and providing supernatural protection and offence. Lastly, some clerics stay in the cities, where they most commonly work against the sorcerer‐ kings and their templars. There they quietly preach the message of preservation to the citizenry, and even sometimes work with the Veiled Alliance. 40 Cleric Level Proficiency Bonus Features Cantrips Known 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 1st +2 Spellcasting, Elemental Domain 3 2 — — — — — — — — 2nd +2 Channel Energy (1/rest), Elemental Domain feature 3 3 — — — — — — — — 3rd +2 -- 3 4 2 — — — — — — — 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 4 4 3 — — — — — — — — 5th +3 Destroy Undead (CR 1/2) 4 4 3 2 — — — — — — — 6th +3 Channel Energy (2/rest), Elemental Domain feature 4 4 3 3 — — — — — — — 7th +3 -- 4 4 3 3 1 — — — — — — 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement, Destroy Undead (CR 1), Elemental Domain feature 4 4 3 3 2 — — — — — — 9th +4 -- 4 4 3 3 3 1 — — — — — 10th +4 Primordial Intervention 5 4 3 3 3 2 — — — — — 11th +4 Destory Undead (CR 2) 5 4 3 3 3 2 1 — — — — 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 5 4 3 3 3 2 1 — — — — 13th +5 -- 5 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 — — — 14th +5 Destroy Undead (CR 3) 5 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 — — — 15th +5 - 5 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 — — 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 5 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 — — 17th +6 Elemental Domain feature 11 12 4 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 1 18th +6 Channel Energy (3/day) 11 12 4 3 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 12 13 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 20th +6 Elemental Intervention improvement 13 13 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 Class Features As a Cleric, you gain the following Class Features. Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d8 per Cleric level Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per Cleric level after 1st Proficiencies Armor: Light⁠ armor, Medium Armor, Shields Weapons: Simple Weapons Tools: None Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma Skills: Choose two from History, Insight, Medicine, Persuasion, and Religion Equipm⁠ent You start with the following equip⁠ment, in addition to the equi⁠pment⁠ granted by your background: (a) a mace or (b) a Warhammer (if proficient) (a) Scale Mail, (b) Leather Armor, or (c) Chain Mail (if proficient) (a) a Light Crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon (a) a priest’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack A Shield and a holy symbol⁠ Spellcasting⁠ As a conduit for elemental power, you can cast Cleric Spells. See the general rules of Spellcasting and the Cleric spell list. Cant⁠rips At 1st level, you know three Cantrips of your choice from the Cleric spell list. You learn additional Cleric cant⁠rips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Can⁠trips Known column of the Cleric table. Channel Energy At 2nd level, you gain the ability to channel elemental energy directly from the Elemental Planes, using that energy to fuel magical effects. You start with two such effects: Turn Undead and an Effect determined by your domain. Some domains grant you additional effects as you advance in levels, as noted in the domain description. When you use your Channel Elemental, you choose which Effects to create. You must then finish a Short or Long Rest to use your Channel Elemental again. Some Channel Elemental Effects require Saving Throws. When you use such an Effect from this class, the DC equals yor Cleric spells save DC. Begining at 6th level, you can use your Channel Elemental twice between rests and beginning at 18th level, you can use it three times between rests. When you finish a short or Long rest, you regain your expended uses. Channel Elemental: Turn Undead As an action, you present your holy symbol and speak a prayer censuring the undead. Each undead that can see or hear you within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, it is turned for 1 minute or until it takes any damage. A turned creature must spend its turns trying to move as far away from you as it can, and it can't willingly move to a space within 30 feet of you. It also can't take reactions. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there's nowhere to move, the creature can use the Dodge action. Ability Score Inprovement 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
23. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Elemental Domains: Only elemental domains are available. Air Domain Cleric Level Spells 1st Feather Fall, Hail of Thorns 3rd Cloud of Daggers, Gust of Wind 5th Gaseous Form, Stimkimg Cloud 7th Fly, Windwall 9th Conjure Elemental (air),Cloudkill 1st Level – You can turn Earth creatures with your Turn Undead ability. You gain proficiency with all ranged weapons. 2nd Level – Channel Divinity: Guiding Winds – You can strike with supernatural accuracy. When you make an attack roll, you can use your Channel Divinity to gain a +10 bonus to the roll. You make this choice after you see the roll, but before the DM says whether the attack hits or misses. 6th Level – You can speak with all forms of flying creatures and monsters. 8th Level – Divine Strike. You gain the ability to infuse your ranged weapon strikes with elemental energy. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a ranged weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d8 sonic damage to the target. When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d8. 17th Level – Winged Shapechanger. Once per short or long rest, you can transform into a winged creature of CR rating 3 or lower using one action. Earth Domain Cleric Level Spells 1st Arms of Hadar*, Wrathful Smite 3rd Hold Person, Shatter 5th Elemental Weapon (Acid), Meld into stone 7th StoneSkin, Stone Shape 9th Conjure Elemental (Earth),Wall of Stone *Spell's description is modified so that the arms are made from stone and dirt and they deal bludgeoning damage instead. 1st Level – You gain proficiency with martial weapons and heavy armor. You gain the Mending Cantrip. 2nd Level – Channel Divinity: Fellowship of Stone – This ability lasts for 1 minute. A number of small stones equal to your Cleric level will roll towards you or fly towards your enemies. Their attack bonus is equal to your own. This ability does not work if there are no stones present in the surrounding area. Each stone deals 1d8 bludgeoning damage. 6th Level – Hibernation of Earth – You and up to 10 other creatures must be standing on dirt for this to work. You and the targets will sink down into the ground until you hit bedrock or when you go 10 feet plus a number of feet equal to your Cleric level (whichever comes first). During this time you and the targeted creatures need not breathe and will sleep peacefully. You can do this once per Long Rest. This ability lasts for a number of hours equal to your Cleric level. 8th Level – Elemental Wrath – You have advantage when attacking Air, Fire, and Water Elementals. Once per long rest attacks that target other forms of Elementals deal maximum damage for one encounter. At 14th level you can use this ability twice per long rest. 17th Level – Earth Elemental – Once per long rest you can become an Earth or Stone Elemental. This lasts for a number of rounds equal to your Cleric level. Fire Domain Cleric Level Spells 1st Continul Flame, Searing Smite 3rd Flame Blade, Heat Metal 5th Elemental Weapon, Fireball 7th Conjure Minor Elemental(Fire), Wall of Fire 9th Conjure Elemental (Fire),Planar Binding(Fire) 1st Level – You can use your Turn Undead ability on Water creatures. You gain Produce Flame as a Cantrip. 2nd Level – Channel Divinity: Sculpt Spells – You can create pockets of relative safety within your fire spells. When you cast a fire spell that affects other creatures that you can see, you can choose a number of them equal to the spell’s level + 1. The chosen creatures automatically succeed on their saving throws against the spell, and they take no damage if they would normally take half damage on a successful save. 6th Level – Channel Divinity: Wreathed in Holy Fire. This effect lasts for 1 minute. Any creature that ends its turn within a 5 feet radius of you must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 fire damage. On a failed saving throw they take half damage. Undead take full damage on a failed saving throw. If you move and creatures enter into this radius they also need to make a saving throw. 8th Level – Burn the Unholy. Any turned Undead (using the Channel Divinity ability) also take 1D6 fire damage per Cleric level on a failed Dexterity saving throw. If they make the save they take no damage. Undead that are destroyed are burned into a pile of ashes. 17th Level – Burning Martyr – Use your action to activate an aura of holy fire that lasts for 1 minute (regardless of whether you are still alive or dead by then). This aura is centered on you with a 60 foot radius that moves with you. Your enemies within this radius get disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws and your allies get advantage. Those that fail the saving throw take 10D6 fire damage and those that make the saving throw take half damage. They need to make this save every round that they are in the fire including your character. Your character cannot use any magic or item or spell to reduce this damage, and you cannot have another character heal you as the spell continues. The ONLY way that your character can reduce this damage is by a successful saving throw. If your character dies the spell continues until the minute has passed. This spell is in a 60 foot radius sphere. Water Domain Cleric Level Spells 1st Create or Destroy Water, Purify Food or Drink 3rd Fog Cloud, Waterbreathing 5th Create Food or Water, Water Walk 7th Conjure Minor Elemental (Water), Control Water 9th Conjure Elemental (Water),Cone of Cold *These spells only create/destroy/purify half their normal amount. 1st Level – You can turn Fire creatures with your Turn Undead ability. You have proficiency with the Athletics skill and your swim speed is the same as your movement rate. 2nd Level – Channel Divinity: Water Walk – This is equivalent to the Water Walk spell but with a duration of 1 minute per Cleric level. 6th Level – Channel Divinity: Dampen Elements – When you or a creature within 30 feet of you takes acid, cold, fire, lightning or thunder damage, you can use your reaction to grant resistance to the creature against that instance of the damage. If it is acid or other water related damage, you or the creature take no damage. 8th Level – Potent Spellcasting. You can add your Wisdom modifier to the damage you deal with any Cleric cantrip. 17th Level – Breathe in Vain. A bolt of water vapor springs forth from your hand and flies up to 150 feet to a point of your choosing. Centered on that point, vile tentacles of water erupt and attempt to drown any nearby living creatures. Those creatures need to make 3 Constitution Saving Throws to expel the water from their lungs or drown. See Drowning Rules for other clarifications. Druid Athasian druids are the protectors of Athas’ dying landscape. Patient and often unforgiving, they try to preserve and reclaim the barren lands that surround the Tyr region. Well-armed with spells and abilities from the Spirits of the Land, they work to bolster Athas’ failing ecology. Often, druids prefer to remain hidden, observing the behavior of creatures and people before passing judgment. Travelers to an oasis are often unaware they are being observed; wanton destruction of the oasis will find themselves under the full fury of the druid and his many abilities. Making a Druid: Druids cast divine spells through the powers granted them by a spirit of the land. A druid develops a special relationship with the land’s spirit. As a druid travels the tablelands, she is recognized by the spirit of the land as a friend. The spirit grants the druid’s spells, while the druid protects the land and reinforces the spirit. In addition to spells, druids receive special abilities as they gain in knowledge and power. Races: Druids come from all races common in the Tablelands, although some have more natural talent than others. Half‐elves, with their natural affinity for animals, make good druids. Their often‐lonely existence also lends itself well to a lone druid caring for a piece of Athas. Muls and Thri‐kreen are also good candidates for druids. Halflings druids often hold a position of respect and authority among their tribe. Halfling druids are rarely found outside of the Forest Ridge, though. Half‐giants,with their slow wits, make poor druids. Of the savage races, tareks sometimes have druids in their numbers, but rarely do other creatures have the patience or ability to care for a particular piece of Athas. Druids get along well with most of the races of the Tablelands, provided they respect the natural order of the land. Creatures that kill without need or destroy out of sheer pleasure will find an enemy in the druid. Alignment: Druids understand the harsh cycle of life and death, of predator and prey, and so one component of their alignment must be neutral. Good druids will tend to help the people they protect, if they serve as protector of a village. They will leave visitors alone, letting them refill their water pouches at no cost, provided there is no abuse. Neutral druids will put the concerns of their guarded lands first, and will not hesitate to punish those that break any rules the druid has determined. Evil druids often rule by fear; some people of the Tablelands prefer the justice of the druid to that of the city‐states, even though the druid may be harsh and cruel. The evil druid will often make the villagers work for their protection, helping to plant trees or shrubs, or repair any damage done by a Tyr–storm. Evil druids that guard an oasis or similar geological feature will demand a toll or gift of small bands for the use of their land. Playing a Druid: You are a humanoid servant devoted to Athas and all of its elements equally. As a guardian, tender, warrior, and sometimes assassin, you further the cause of nature and help to make Athas verdant again. You, like nature itself are neutral. You see the balance of all things. You know that every living creature is part of the food chain, and birth and death are the natural order of life. This is one of the reasons druids harbor such intense hatred for the defilers. Their magic of decay lies outside the normal cycle of life. Matter should not be destroyed, but converted to a form that will eventually return to the earth. Defiling magic destroys that which should never be destroyed, and its practice is an abomination to druids. @@@ Religion: A druid is an individual who has devoted themselves to the balance of nature on Athas, and in particular someone who has sought out or been chosen by one of the few living spirits left in the barren land, protecting and nurturing them and the natural balance they represent. Individual druids do not necessarily recognize one another as kin or as brothers in a religion; each conducts their affairs as they see fit in their quest to restore the balance of nature and protect their spirit’s lands. Most druids recognize the various spirits as a manifestation of Athas itself, though some few more primitive or uncultured individuals or groups may believe the spirit to be a god and treat it as such. Other Classes: Druids get along with most classes, though they despise wizards. Magic is the cause of Athas’ current state, so say the druids, and while they may tolerate preservers for a short while, defilers are slain on sight. Templars are usually not welcomed by druids, as the templar is responsible for a city that encroaches on nature, and templars serve the sorcerer‐kings, Athas’ most powerful magic users. Elemental clerics are well received by druids, as they often share the same goals. Druids are usually at odds with paraelemental clerics, though. The paraelement proliferation on Athas is usually at the land’s expense, destroying what the druid tries to accomplish. Rangers are probably the druid’s best allies. They often share the same goals, and the druid may even call upon the ranger for help in controlling a species that has become problematic or detrimental to an area. However, the ranger and the druid may sometimes be at odds, if the ranger is determined to eradicate his favored enemy while the druid seeks to protect that particular species. Combat: Your ability to summon creatures and to turn into them is your primary weapon. Consider using them to aid your companions in flanking maneuvers, or better yet to harass enemy spellcasters (many of whom are easy to hit), especially if they are defilers. Few foes are prepared for an opponent who can call such potent beings to service, so you’ve also got the advantage of surprise. Though somewhat skilled at both combat and spellcasting, you are more suited to guerrilla warfare— tracking enemies to their lair ambushing them while they sleep, or engaging in other sue surreptitious tactics. With woodland stride and trackless step, you can usually escape through the wilderness before your enemies know what hit them. Druids on Athas: Perhaps the only thing rarer to see in Athas than a wizard is a druid. After centuries of persecution, they were forced to either die in the hands of the agents of the sorcerermonarchs, or to watch their beloved land wither and die before their eyes. Because of that, druids are usually loners and avert to social interaction. They live off the land, within the land, and they have sacrificed their entire lives for the land, very little besides it occupies the mind of a druid. Daily Life: A druid adventures to learn about Athas, to protect nature, and to further his own aims. Druids usually spend their days in contemplation of nature and tending their lands; one may watch over a particular stretch of open desert, another may protect a belt of scrub grass within it, while still another might watch over a small oasis that borders on both, always hidden and always watching. The Athasian druid is a wanderer who hunts down a powerful defiler that has spoiled the wastes, or a visionary who tends the land and teaches the local population how to live in harmony with their surroundings. The Athasian druid fights for an almost lost cause, and it matters not if that cause is revenge himself against those who destroyed his land and friends or a ceaseless desire to bring green and hope to Athas. Notables: Druids very rarely become famous, since they usually avoid social interaction combined the fact that it might put their lives at risk since usually sorcerer‐kings and defiler usually put a reward for the head of a notorious or troublesome druid. A legend claim that Mearedes the druidess came to the island of Shault when its forest was all but dead and she managed to nurture it back to its vibrant health. Organizations: Ever since the Eradication, an anti‐druidic jihad led by sorcerer‐kings more than 1,500 years ago, no specific druidic organization exists, although some form temporary alliances with Veiled Alliance members from time to time. Legends say that the druids who remained after the Eradication gathered on a high mesa somewhere in the northern Tablelands. It was there they decided that they should scatter to the most remote reaches and farthest regions of Athas, there to bide their time, waiting for the day when they were powerful enough to challenge the sorcererkings again. This was a long time ago, and the druids have yet to return to the cities of the defilers. Some say that they will never return and that their seclusion and isolation have destroyed whatever power they once wielded as a circle. Others say that the druid’s long wait is indicative of their cunning, and that their plan is to insure that the next confrontation with the kings won’t end in defeat. Sacred Plants and Wood A druid holds certain Plants to be sacred, particularly alder, ash, birch, elder, hazel, holly, juniper, mistletoe, oak, rowan, willow, and yew. Druids often use such Plants as part of a Spellcasting focus, incorporating lengths of oak or yew or sprigs of mistletoe. Similarly, a druid uses such woods to make other Objects, such as Weapons and Shields. Yew is associated with death and rebirth, so weapon handles for scimitars or sickles might be fashioned from it. Ash is associated with life and oak with Strength. These woods make excellent hafts or whole Weapons, such as clubs or quarterstaffs, as well as Shields. Alder is associated with air, and it might be used for Thrown Weapons, such as darts or javelins. Druids from regions that lack the Plants described here have chosen other Plants to take on similar uses. For instance, a druid of a Desert region might value the yucca tree and cactus Plants. Druids and the Spirit of the Land All druids venerate the forces of Nature themselves, called the Spirit of the Land. NPC Reactions: Druids are natural loners, and usually avoid social interactions unless they have to. In such cases, those who are directly benefited from the druid’s work of tending the land begin two steps nearer helpful, while defilers and evil paraelemental clerics begin two steps nearer hostile. The Druid Level Proficiency Bonus Features Cantrips Known Spells Known 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 1st +2 Druidic, Spellcasting 2 2 -- — — — — — — — — 2nd +2 Wild Shape, Druid Circle 2 3 - — — — — — — — — 3rd +2 --- 2 4 2 - — — — — — — — 4th +2 Wild Shape improvement, Ability Score Improvement 3 4 3 - — — — — — — — 5th +3 ─ 3 4 3 2 — — — — — — — 6th +3 Druid Circle feature 3 4 3 3 - — — — — — — 7th +3 - 3 4 3 3 1 — — — — — — 8th +3 Wild Shape improvement, Ability Score Improvement 3 4 3 3 2 — — — — — — 9th +4 -- 3 4 3 3 3 1 — — — — — 10th +4 Druid Circle feature 4 4 3 3 3 2 — — — — — 11th +4 -- 4 4 3 3 3 2 1 — — — — 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 4 4 3 3 3 2 1 — — — — 13th +5 -- 4 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 — — — 14th +5 Druid Circle feature 4 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 — — — 15th +5 -- 4 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 — — 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 4 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 — — 17th +6 -- 4 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 1 — 18th +6 Timeless Body, Beast Spells 4 4 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 1 — 19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 4 4 3 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 — 20th +6 Archdruid 4 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 1 As a druid, you gain the following Class Features. Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d8 per druid level Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per druid level after 1st Starting Proficiencies You are proficient with the following items, in addition to any Proficiencies provided by your race or Background. Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields (druids will not wear armor or use Shields made of metal) Weapons: alak, blowgun, clubs, daggers, darts, javelins, maces, quarterstaffs, scimitars, sickles, slings, spears Tools: Herbalism Kit Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Animal Handling, Insight, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Religion, and Survival Druidic You know Druidic, the Secret language of druids. You can speak the language and use it to leave hidden messages. You and others who know this language automatically spot such a Message. Others spot the message's presence with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check but can't decipher it without magic. Spellcasting Drawing on the divine essence of Nature itself, you can cast Spells to shape that essence to your will. See chapter 10 for the general rules of Spellcasting and chapter 11 for the druid spell list. Cantrips At 1st Level, you know two Cantrips of your choice from the druid spell list. You learn additional druid Cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Druid table. Preparing and Casting Spells The Druid table shows how many Spell Slots you have to cast your Spells of 1st Level and higher. To cast one of these Druid Spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended Spell Slots when you finish a Long Rest. You prepare the list of Druid Spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the druid spell list. When you do so, choose a number of Druid Spells equal to your Wisdom modifier + your druid level (minimum of one spell). The Spells must be of a level for which you have Spell Slots. For example, if you are a 3rd-level druid, you have four 1stlevel and two 2nd-level Spell Slots. With a Wisdom of 16, your list of prepared Spells can include six Spells of 1st or 2nd Level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell Cure Wounds, you can cast it using a 1st-level ar 2ndlevel slot. Casting the spell doesn't remove it from your list of prepared Spells. You can also change your list of prepared Spells when you finish a Long Rest. Preparing a new list of Druid Spells requires time spent in prayer and meditation: at least 1 minute per Spell Level for each spell on your list. Spellcasting Ability Wisdom is your Spellcasting Ability for your Druid Spells, since your magic draws upon your devotion and Attunement to Nature. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your Spellcasting Ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a druid spell you cast and when Making an Attack roll with one. Spell save DC = 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Wisdom modifier Spell Attack modifier = your Proficiency Bonus + your Wisdom modifier Ritual Casting You can cast a druid spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell prepared. Spellcasting Focus You can use a druidic focus (see "Equipment") as a Spellcasting focus for your Druid Spells. Wild Shape Starting at 2nd Level, you can use your action to magically assume the shape of a beast that you have seen before. You can use this feature twice. You regain expended uses when you finish a short or Long Rest. Your druid level determines the Beasts you can transform into, as shown in the Beast Shapes table. At 2nd Level, for example, you can transform into any beast that has a Challenge rating of 1/4 or lower that doesn't have a flying or swimming speed. Druids can wild shape into the following creatures, assuming they have seen them before. Druid Level Creatures 1st Level: Boneclaw (Lesser), Carru, Dire Rat, Eagle, Erdlu, Janx, Jhakar, Kes’rekel, Kivit, Owl, Silt Spawn, Snake (Small or Medium Viper 4th Level or Higher Carru (bull), Cheetah, Crodlu, Crodlu (Heavy), Dire bat, Erdland, Jhakar (Medium), Kluzd, Leopard, Lizard (Giant), Lizard (Monitor), Rasclinn, Shark (Athasian) 7th Level or Higher Crodlu (Heavy Warmount), Inix, Kalin, Kluzd (7HD), Lirr, Puddingfish, Lion, Lizard (Subterranean), Snake (Huge Viper), Takis, Tiger 10th Level or Higher Cha’thrang, Dire lion, Hatori, Lizard (Minotaur), Shark (Athasian, Huge), Snake (Giant Constructor) 13th Level or Higher Lirr (Large), Ruktoi, Sloth (Athasian) 16th Level or Higher Dire Athasian Shark, Dire Tiger, Hatori (Gargantuan), Silt Horror (White), Slimahacc You can stay in a beast shape for a number of hours equal to half your druid level (rounded down). You then revert to your normal form unless you expend another use of this feature. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using a Bonus Action on Your Turn. You automatically revert if you fall Unconscious, drop to 0 Hit Points, or die. While you are transformed, the following rules apply: Your game Statistics are replaced by the Statistics of the beast, but you retain your Alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw Proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature. If the creature has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the creature's bonus instead of yours. If the creature has any legendary or Lair Actions, you can't use them. When you transform, you assume the beast's Hit Points and Hit Dice. When you revert to your normal form, you return to the number of Hit Points you had before you transformed. However, if you revert as a result of Dropping to 0 Hit Points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form. For example, if you take 10 damage in animal form and have only 1 hit point left, you revert and take 9 damage. As long as the excess damage doesn't reduce your normal form to 0 Hit Points, you aren't knocked Unconscious. You can't cast Spells, and your ability to speak or take any action that requires hands is limited to the capabilities of your beast form. Transforming doesn't break your Concentration on a spell you've already cast, however, or prevent you from taking Actions that are part of a spell, such as Call Lightning, that you've already cast. You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can't use any of your Special Senses, such as Darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense. You choose whether your Equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn Equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of Equipment, based on the creature's shape and size. Your Equipment doesn't change size or shape to match the new form, and any Equipment that the new form can't wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form. Druid Circle At 2nd Level, you choose to Identify with a circle of druids, such as the Circle of the Land. Your choice grants you features at 2nd Level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level. Ability Score Improvement When you reach 4th Level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two Ability Scores of your choice by
24. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Timeless Body Starting at 18th level, the primal magic that you wield causes you to age more slowly. For every 10 years that pass, your body ages only 1 year. Beast Spells Beginning at 18th level, you can cast many of your Druid Spells in any shape you assume using Wild Shape. You can perform the somatic and verbal Components of a druid spell while in a beast shape, but you aren't able to provide material Components. Archdruid At 20th level, you can use your Wild Shape an unlimited number of times. Additionally, you can ignore the verbal and somatic Components of your Druid Spells, as well as any material Components that lack a cost and aren't consumed by a spell. You gain this benefit in both your normal shape and your beast shape from Wild Shape. Circle of the Land The Circle of the Land is made up of mystics and sages who safeguard ancient knowledge and rites through a vast oral tradition. These druids meet within sacred circles of trees or standing stones to Whisper primal Secrets in Druidic. The circle’s wisest members preside as the chief Priests of communities that hold to the Old Faith and serve as advisors to the rulers of those folk. As a member of this circle, your magic is influenced by the land where you were initiated into the circle’s mysterious rites. Bonus Cantrip When you choose this circle at 2nd Level, you learn one additional druid cantrip of your choice. Natural Recovery Starting at 2nd Level, you can regain some of your magical energy by sitting in meditation and communing with Nature. During a Short Rest, you choose expended Spell Slots to recover. The Spell Slots can have a combined level that is equal to or less than half your druid level (rounded up), and none of the slots can be 6th level or higher. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a Long Rest. For example, when you are a 4th-level druid, you can recover up to two levels worth of Spell Slots. You can recover either a 2nd-level slot or two 1st-level slots. Circle Spells Your mystical connection to the land infuses you with the ability to cast certain Spells. At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to Circle Spells connected to the land where you became a druid. Choose that land — Desert, Grasslands, Swamp, Forest, Mountain. Once you gain access to a circle spell, you always have it prepared, and it doesn’t count against the number of Spells you can prepare each day. If you gain access to a spell that doesn’t appear on the druid spell list, the spell is nonetheless a druid spell for you. Cave Druid Level Spells 3rd spider climb, web 5th silence, stinking cloud 7th greater invisibility, stone shape 9th cloudkill, insect plague Forest Druid Level Spells 3rd barkskin, spider climb 5th call lightning, plant growth 7th divination, freedom of movement 9th commune with nature, tree stride Grassland Druid Level Spells 3rd invisibility, pass without trace 5th daylight, haste 7th divination, freedom of movement 9th conjure minor elementals, ice storm Mountain Druid Level Spells 3rd spider climb, spike growth 5th lightning bolt, meld into stone 7th stone shape, stoneskin 9th passwall, wall of stone Oasis Druid Level Spells 3rd mirror image, misty step 5th water breathing, water walk 7th control water, freedom of movement 9th conjure elemental, scrying Rocky Desert Druid Level Spells 3rd maximillian's earthen grasp*, spike growth 5th create food and water, erupting earth* 7th stone shape, stoneskin 9th transmute rock*, wall of stone Salt Flats Druid Level Spells 3rd gentle repose, ray of enfeeblement 5th feign death, speak with dead 7th blight, vitriolic sphere* 9th antilife shell, contagion Sandy Desert Druid Level Spells 3rd blur, dust devil* 5th create food and water, wall of sand* 7th giant insect, hallucinatory terrain 9th control winds*, commune with nature Swamp Druid Level Spells 3rd darkness, melf's acid arrow 5th stinking cloud, water walk 7th freedom of movement, locate creature 9th insect plague, scrying Volcanic Druid Level Spells 3rd heat metal, pyrotechnics* 5th fireball, protection from energy 7th fire shield, wall of fire 9th cloudkill, immolation* Land’s Stride Starting at 6th level, moving through nonmagical Difficult Terrain costs you no extra Movement. You can also pass through nonmagical Plants without being slowed by them and without taking damage from them if they have thorns, spines, or a similar hazard. In addition, you have advantage on Saving Throws against Plants that are magically created or manipulated to impede Movement, such those created by the Entangle spell. Nature’s Ward When you reach 10th level, you can’t be Charmed or Frightened by Elementals or fey, and you are immune to poison and disease. Nature’s Sanctuary When you reach 14th level, creatures of the natural world sense your connection to Nature and become hesitant to Attack you. When a beast or plant creature attacks you, that creature must make a Wisdom saving throw against your druid spell save DC. On a failed save, the creature must choose a different target, or the Attack automatically misses. On a successful save, the creature is immune to this effect for 24 hours. The creature is aware of this effect before it makes its Attack against you. Circle of the Moon Druids of the Circle of the Moon are fierce guardians of the wilds. Their order gathers under the full moon to share news and trade warnings. They haunt the deepest parts of the wilderness, where they might go for weeks on end before crossing paths with another humanoid creature, let alone another druid. Changeable as the moon, a druid of this circle might prowl as a great cat one night, soar over the treetops as an eagle the next day, and crash through the undergrowth in bear form to drive off a trespassing monster. The wild is in the druid's blood. Combat Wild Shape When you choose this circle at 2nd level, you gain the ability to use Wild Shape on your turn as a bonus action, rather than as an action. Additionally, while you are transformed by Wild Shape, you can use a bonus action to expend one spell slot to regain 1d8 hit points per level of the spell slot expended. Circle Forms The rites of your circle grant you the ability to transform into more dangerous animal forms. Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Wild Shape to transform into a beast with a challenge rating as high as 1. You ignore the Max. CR column of the Beast Shapes table, but must abide by the other limitations there. Starting at 6th level, you can transform into a beast with a challenge rating as high as your druid level divided by 3, rounded down. Primal Strike Starting at 6th level, your attacks in beast form count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. Elemental Wild Shape At 10th level, you can expend two uses of Wild Shape at the same time to transform into an air elemental, an earth elemental, a fire elemental, or a water elemental. Thousand Forms By 14th level, you have learned to use magic to alter your physical form in more subtle ways. You can cast the Alter Self spell at will. Circle of Twilight The Circle of Twilight seeks to exterminate undead creatures and preserve the natural cycle of life and death that rules over the cosmos. Their magic allows them to manipulate the boundary between life and death, sending their foes to their final rest while keeping their allies from that fate. These druids seek out lands that have been tainted by undeath. Such places are grim and foreboding. Once vibrant forests become gloomy, haunted places devoid of animals and filled with plants dying a slow, lingering death. The Circle of Twilight goes to such places to banish undeath and restore life. Harvest's Scythe Starting at 2nd level, you learn to unravel and harvest the life energy of other creatures. You can augment your spells to drain the life force from creatures. You have a pool of energy represented by a number of d10s equal to your druid level. When you roll damage for a spell, you can increase that damage by spending dice from the pool. You can spend a number of dice equal to half your druid level or less. Roll the spent dice and add them to the damage as necrotic damage. If you kill one or more hostile creatures with a spell augmented in this way, you or an ally of your choice that you can see within 30 feet of you regains 2 hit points per die spent to increase the spell’s damage, or 5 hit points per die if at least one of the slain creatures was undead. You regain the expended dice when you finish a long rest. Speech Beyond the Grave At 6th level, you gain the ability to reach beyond death’s veil in search of knowledge. Using this feature, you can cast Speak with Dead without material components, and you understand what the target of this casting says. It can understand your questions, even if you don’t share a language or it is not intelligent enough to speak. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest. Watcher at the Threshold At 10th level, you gain resistance to necrotic and radiant damage. In addition, while you aren’t incapacitated, any ally within 30 feet of you has advantage on death saving throws. Paths of the Dead At 14th level, your mastery of death allows you to tread the paths used by ghosts and other spirits. Using this feature, you can cast Etherealness. Once the spell ends, you can’t cast it with this feature again until you finish a short or long rest. Fighter The Fighter Level Proficiency Bonus Features 1st +2 Fighting Style, Second Wind 2nd +2 Action Surge (one use) 3rd +2 Martial Archetype 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 5th +3 Extra Attack 6th +3 Ability Score Improvement 7th +3 Martial Archetype feature 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 9th +4 Indomitable (one use) 10th +4 Martial Archetype feature 11th +4 Extra Attack (2) 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 13th +5 Indomitable (two uses) 14th +5 Ability Score Improvement 15th +5 Martial Archetype 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 17th +6 Action Surge (two uses), Indomitable (three uses) 18th +6 Martial Archetype feature 19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 20th +6 Extra Attack (2) Fighter As a Fighter, you gain the following Class Features. Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d10 per Fighter level Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per Fighter level after 1st Starting Proficiencies You are proficient with the following items, in addition to any Proficiencies provided by your race or Background. Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Heavy Armor, Shields Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons Tools: none Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution Skills: Choose two Skills from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, and Survival Starting Equipment You start with the following items, plus anything provided by your Background. • (a) Chain Mail or (b) leather, Longbow, and 20 Arrows • (a) a martial weapon and a Shield or (b) two Martial Weapons • (a) a Light Crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) two handaxes • (a) a Dungeoneer's Pack or (b) an Explorer's Pack Fighting Style You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose a Fighting Style from the list of optional features. You can't take the same Fighting Style option more than once, even if you get to choose again. Archery You gain a +2 bonus to Attack rolls you make with Ranged Weapons. Defense While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC. Dueling 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 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. Protection When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your Reaction to impose disadvantage on the Attack roll. You must be wielding a Shield. Two-Weapon Fighting When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second Attack. Second Wind You have a limited well of stamina that you can draw on to protect yourself from harm. On Your Turn, you can use a Bonus Action to regain Hit Points equal to 1d10 + your Fighter level. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or Long Rest before you can use it again. Action Surge Starting at 2nd Level, you can push yourself beyond your normal limits for a moment. On Your Turn, you can take one additional action on top of your regular action and a possible Bonus Action. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or Long Rest before you can use it again. Starting at 17th level, you can use it twice before a rest, but only once on the same turn. Martial Archetype At 3rd Level, you choose an archetype that you strive to emulate in your Combat styles and Techniques, such as Champion. The archetype you choose grants you features at 3rd Level and again at 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level. Ability Score Improvement When you reach 4th Level, and again at 6th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 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. Extra Attack Beginning at 5th Level, you can Attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on Your Turn. The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 11th level in this class and to four when you reach 20th level in this class. Indomitable Beginning at 9th level, you can reroll a saving throw that you fail. If you do so, you must use the new roll, and you can't use this feature again until you finish a Long Rest. You can use this feature twice between long rests starting at 13th level and three times between long rests starting at 17th level. Martial Archetypes Different fighters choose different approaches to perfecting their fighting Prowess. The martial archetype you choose to emulate reflects your approach. Champion The archetypal Champion focuses on the Development of raw physical power honed to deadly perfection. Those who model themselves on this archetype combine rigorous Training with physical excellence to deal devastating blows. Improved Critical Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd Level, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20. Remarkable Athlete Starting at 7th level, you can add half your Proficiency Bonus (round up) to any Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution check you make that doesn’t already use your Proficiency Bonus. In addition, when you make a running long jump, the distance you can cover increases by a number of feet equal to your Strength modifier. Additional Fighting Style At 10th level, you can choose a second option from the Fighting Style class feature. Superior Critical Starting at 15th level, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 18–20. Survivor At 18th level, you attain the pinnacle of resilience in battle. At the start of each of your turns, you regain Hit Points equal to 5 + your Constitution modifier if you have no more than half of your Hit Points left. You don’t gain this benefit if you have 0 Hit Points. Battle Master Those who emulate the archetypal Battle Master employ martial techniques passed down through generations. To a Battle Master, combat is an academic field, sometimes including subjects beyond battle such as weaponsmithing and calligraphy. Not every fighter absorbs the lessons of history, theory, and artistry that are reflected in the Battle Master archetype, but those who do are well-rounded fighters of great skill and knowledge. Combat Superiority When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn maneuvers that are fueled by special dice called superiority dice. Maneuvers. You learn three maneuvers of your choice. Many maneuvers enhance an attack in some way. You can use only one maneuver per attack. You learn two additional maneuvers of your choice at 7th, 10th, and 15th level. Each time you learn new maneuvers, you can also replace one maneuver you know with a different one. Superiority Dice. You have four superiority dice, which are d8s. A superiority die is expended when you use it. You regain all of your expended superiority dice when you finish a short or long rest. You gain another superiority die at 7th level and one more at 15th level. Saving Throws. Some of your maneuvers require your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows: Maneuver save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice) Student of War At 3rd level, you gain proficiency with one type of artisan's tools of your choice. Know Your Enemy Starting at 7th level, if you spend at least 1 minute observing or interacting with another creature outside combat, you can learn certain information about its capabilities compared to your own. The DM tells you if the creature is your equal, superior, or inferior in regard to two of the following characteristics of your choice: • Strength score • Dexterity score • Constitution score • Armor Class • Current hit points • Total class levels, if any • Fighter class levels, if any Improved Combat Superiority At 10th level, your superiority dice turn into d10s. At 18th level, they turn into d12s. Relentless Starting at 15th level, when you roll initiative and have no superiority dice remaining, you regain 1 superiority die. Cavalier The archetypal cavalier excels at mounted combat. Usually born among the nobility and raised at court, a cavalier is equally at home leading a cavalry charge or exchanging repartee at a state dinner. Cavaliers also learn how to guard those in their charge from harm, often serving as the protectors of their superiors and of the weak. Compelled to right wrongs or earn prestige, many of these fighters leave their lives of comfort to embark on glorious adventure. Bonus Proficiency When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, History, Insight, Performance, or Persuasion. Alternatively, you learn one language of your choice. Born to the Saddle Starting at 3rd level, your mastery as a rider becomes apparent. You have advantage on saving throws made to avoid falling off your mount. If you fall off your mount and descend no more than 10 feet, you can land on your feet if you’re not incapacitated. Finally, mounting or dismounting a creature costs you only 5 feet of movement, rather than half your speed. Unwavering Mark Starting at 3rd level, you can menace your foes, foiling their attacks and punishing them for harming others. When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can mark the creature until the end of your next turn. This effect ends early if you are incapacitated or you die, or if someone else marks the creature. While it is within 5 feet of you, a creature marked by you has disadvantage on any attack roll that doesn't target you. In addition, if a creature marked by you deals damage to anyone other than you, you can make a special melee weapon attack against the marked creature as a bonus action on your next turn. You have advantage on the attack roll, and if it hits, the attack's weapon deals extra damage to the target equal to half your fighter level. Regardless of the number of creatures you mark, you can make this special attack a number of times equal to your Strength modifier (a minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest. Warding Maneuver At 7th level, you learn to fend off strikes directed at you, your mount, or other creatures nearby. If you or a creature you can see within 5 feet of you is hit by an attack, you can roll 1d8 as a reaction if you're wielding a melee weapon or a shield. Roll the die, and add the number rolled to the target's AC against that attack. If the attack still hits, the target has resistance against the attack's damage. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (a minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest. Hold the Line At 10th level, you become a master of locking down your enemies. Creatures provoke an opportunity attack from you when they move 5 feet or more while within your reach, and if you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, the target's speed is reduced to 0 until the end of the current turn. Ferocious Charger Starting at 15th level, you can run down your foes, whether you're mounted or not. If you move at least 10 feet in a straight line right before attacking a creature and you hit it with the attack, that target must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier) or be knocked prone. You can use this feature only once on each of your turns. Vigilant Defender Starting at 18th level, you respond to danger with extraordinary vigilance. In combat, you get a special reaction that you can take once on every creature's turn, except your turn. You can use this special reaction only to make an opportunity attack, and you can't use it on the same turn that you take your normal reaction. Gladiators Most Gladiators are slaves of the citystates or merchant houses, specially trained to participate in brutal physical contests for the enjoyment of the masses. Slave Gladiators have no choice but to fight or face the whip/death. The one upside of being a slave gladiator is that your life is usually short. Then there are the ones that choose this life, those not beaten or bred into it. Those who do it for the thrill, for kill, for the money and fame. Making a Gladiator: The gladiatorial life is a harsh and cruel one to say the least. Those who can survive it are molded by it. Every decision a gladiator makes inside the arena and out are made with an arena mentality. Quick action and unrelentless pursuit when the time is right. In the eyes of a gladiator there is no such thing as right or wrong. Although most free gladiators have a personal moral code, Slave gladiators only code is SURVIVE by any means possible. Races: All of Athas’ races can become Gladiators. Humans make good gladiators, and there are a few number of them that have even become famous. Dwarves are tough and sturdy and can survive the perils of the arena but most dwarves do not set their focus around the arena life unless their foucs is to escape or win their freedom. The half‐giants are very often Gladiators, their large stature and great strength makes them wondefule canidates for the arena. Muls are bred for the soul purpose of gladiatorial combat. The perfect mix of human and dwarven lienage with no family and no offspring to miss them. Elves being the runners of the wastes that they are, rarely choose the gladiatorial lifestyle. Being trapped in arena, surrounded by people, and enemies is not a way most elves wish to live. Thri-Kreen, although danerous warriors in their own right, have no love for the arena and does not align its self with the hunt prey mentality of the insectoid ThriKreen. Alignment: Gladiators can be of any alignment Religion: Gladiators do not whorship any paticular element over another. Though they do have a special revearance for those that can heal their wounds. Other Classes: Most of the other classes have seen first hand what a gladiator is capable of in the arena. Most Gladiators are met with awe and slight fear. Gladiators only know a life of struggle with weapon in hand. They tend not to trust those who can not physically fight with weapon in hand. Wizards in paticular are hated and seen as weak beings with know personal power they did not steal from the land. Most Gladiators will not use poison to win a fight, choosing to use their skill and might to win the battle for them. Bards use of poison is seen as cheating a man of his right to a fair and glorious death. Combat: Your life is at constant threat. Never knowning when or if this is the last day you draw breath. Gladiators train daily to keep the edge and to keep death at bay. You may fear that today is your day to die but you choose to die on your feet covered in the blood of your opponent than to cower on knee. Playing a Gladiator: Wether you are a free gladiator or a slave your one main rule is survive the day at any cost. Sometimes that means using dirty tricks. However most gladiators have a strange personal code of conduct that they will not break unless there is no other option to survival. Each Gladiator makes his own personal code. Some refuse to use poison or fight dirty. Others when given the option will face their opponent with the exact same equipment so as to not get or give an unfair advantage in fight. Others will simply choose to end a fight quickly if their opponent is far weaker than them, and not draw out the fight for pure onlloker entertainment purposes. Daily Life: For slave gladiators that life is bleak and short. Most spend their days training or laboring until their next arena match comes. Slave gladiators are only given enough food and water to survive. Only very skilled slaves who win in the arena are given any kind of special treatment. For Free gladiators the story is much different. They live high off their winning s and boast greatly of their battles in the taverns of the tablelands. The Gladiator Level Proficiency Bonus Features 1st +2 Arena Combat 2nd +2 Fighting Style, Expert Brawler 3rd +2 Gladiator Archetype 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 5th +3 Extra Attacl 6th +3 Armor Optimization 7th +3 Gladiator Archetype feature 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 9th +4 -- 10th +4 Gladiator Archetype feature 11th +4 Extra Attack (2) 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 13th +5 -- 14th +5 Armor Optimization Improvement 15th +5 Gladiator Archetype feature 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 17th +6 By Popular Demand 18th +6 Gladiator Archetype feature 19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 20th +6 Extra Attack (3) Quick Build You can make a gladiator quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Strength or Dexterity your highest ability score, depending on whether you want to focus on heavy, brutal combat or light, finesse weapons. Your next highest score should be Charisma. Class Features As a gladiator, you gain the following class features. Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d10 per gladiator level Hit Points at 1st level: 10 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at higher levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Consitution modifier per gladiator level after 1st Proficiencies Armor: All armor, shields Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons, improvised weapons Tools: None Saving Throws: Strength, Wisdom Skills: Choose two skills from Acrobatics, Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Performance and Perception Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: (a) hide armor or (b) leather armor and sling with 20 bullets (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons (a) two simple weapons or (b) a net Arena Combat At 3rd level, you learn to utilize gladiatorial tricks that are fueled by your performance in the arena. You can only use one trick per turn. Gladiatorial Tricks. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma (Performance) modifier (minimum of 1). You regain all expended tricks when you finish a short or long rest. Saving Throws. Some tricks require your target to make a saving throw. The saving throw’s DC is calculated as follows: Trick save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength, Dexterity or Charisma modifier (your choice) Gladiatorial Tricks The tricks are presented in alphabetical order. Cleave. When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one gladiatorial trick to attempt to damage another creature with the same attack. Choose another creature within 5 feet of the original target and within your reach. If the original attack roll would hit the second creature, it takes damage equal to your Charisma (Performance) modifier. The damage is of the same type dealt by the original attack. Disarming attack. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one gladiatorial trick and force it to drop one item of your choice that it’s holding. You add your Charisma (Performance) modifier to the attack’s damage roll, and the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or it drops the object you choose. The creature must spend its next action picking up the object, if it chooses so. Evasive footwork. When you move, you may expend one gladiatorial trick and add your Charisma (Performance) to your AC until you stop moving. Feinting attack. You can expend one trick and use a bonus action on your turn to feint, choosing one creature within 5 feet of you as your target. You have advantage on your next attack roll against that creature, if you choose to attack on your next turn. If that attack hits, add your Charisma (Performance) modifier to the attack's damage roll. Menacing attack. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one trick to attempt to frighten the target. You add your Charisma (Performance) modifier to your attack’s damage roll, and the target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn. Parry. When another creature damages you with a melee weapon attack, you can use your reaction and expend one trick to reduce the damage by your Charisma (Performance) modifier + your Dexterity modifier. Pushing attack. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one trick to attempt to drive the target back. You add your Charisma (Performance) modifier to your attack’s damage roll, and if the target is Large or smaller, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 15 feet away from you. Trip attack. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one trick to attempt to knock the target down. You add your Charisma (Performance) modifier to your attack’s damage roll, and if the target is Large or smaller, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Fighting Style At 2nd level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again. Dueling When you are wielding a melee weapon at one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon. Great weapon fighting 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 2. The weapon must have the twohanded or versatile property for you to gain this benefit. Marksmanship You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons. Protection When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a shield. Two-weapon fighting When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack. Brawling Your unarmed strikes deal 2 additional points of damage on a hit. Exotic Weaponry You gain proficiency with all exotic weapons Expert Brawler At 2nd level, your intense training in unarmed combat has rewarded you with combat skills that make great use of your unarmed strikes. While you’re unarmed or wielding simple melee weapons that don’t have the two-handed or heavy property, you are not wearing medium or heavy armor or wielding a shield, you gain the following benefits: When you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike or a melee weapon on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes. You roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strikes. If you score a critical hit with an unarmed strike, the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. The damage of your unarmed strikes increases to d6 at 9th level and to d8 at 13th level. Gladiator Archetype At 3rd level, you choose an archetype that you strive to emulate in your combat styles and techniques. Choose Arena Champion or Pit Fighter, all detailed at the end of the class description. The archetype you choose grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level. Ability Score Improvement When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by
25. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Extra Attack Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 11th level in this class and to four when you reach 20th level in this class. Armor Optimization At 6th level, you gain an understanding on how to put your armor in better use. You gain a +1 bonus to AC, if you’re wearing any type of armor or carrying a shield. At 14th level, this bonus increases to +2. By Popular Demand At 17th level, when you roll initiative and have no uses for gladiatorial tricks remaining, you regain 2 uses. Gladiator Archetypes Different gladiators choose different approaches to perfecting their fighting prowess. The gladiator archetype you choose to emulate reflects your approach. Arena Champion The arena champions are gladiators whose greatest desire is to practice their blood sport in arenas filled with thousands of screaming fans. They risk their lives for fame, wealth, and adoration. These great warriors can rise from the ranks of average and ordinary citizens, and so they serve their role as heroes of the societies. Master of the Crowd At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in one of the following: Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion. Extra Gladiatorial Tricks You gain two additional gladiatorial tricks, suited to your archetype. Finishing move When you attack with a melee weapon a creature that has no more than half of its hit points left and it’s prone, frightened, restrained or otherwise incapacitated, you may expend a trick to turn your attack roll into a devastating blow. If your attack hits, you deal critical hit and also add your Charisma (Performance) modifier to your attack’s damage roll. Showstopper When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack on a creature, you can expend one trick to force it to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is stunned until the end of its next turn. Taunt At 7th level, your words can injure even the most enduring warriors. Choose one creature you can see. The target must be able to hear you and make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target suffers psychic damage equal to your Charisma (Performance) modifier and its next attack against you is made with disadvantage. You can use this feature again after you finish a short or long rest. At 18th level, you can use this feature twice after you finish a short or long rest. Additional Fighting Style At 10th level, you can choose a second option from the Fighting Style class feature. Riposte Starting at 15th level, when a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against it. If you hit, you add your Charisma (Performance) modifier to the attack’s damage roll. Pit Fighter Pit fighters tend to be some of the strongest, toughest, and most dangerous adversaries in the arena. Battling for survival has been the only constant in their violent lives; they have little to lose or gain except their lives. Usually regarded as property to be bought and sold, these brutal warriors have nothing to fear and always lunge into battle. Dirty Fighting At 3rd level, you learn how to distract your opponent and gain the upper hand, using various methods of trickery. Choose one creature within 5 feet of you and use your bonus action. That creature must succeed a Wisdom saving throw or will have disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks and saving throws until the end of its next turn. You may use this feature again once you finish a short or long rest. Extra Gladiatorial Tricks You gain two additional gladiatorial tricks, suited to your archetype. Furious attack Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can expend one trick to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action. Lunging strike On your turn, you can expend one trick to make a long jump and attack immediately with a melee weapon. If you hit, you add your Charisma (Performance) modifier to your attack’s damage roll. Adrenaline Rush At 7th level, you get short boosts of stamina as your endurance begins to wear down and defeat is imminent. At the start of your turn, if you have no more than half of your hit points left, you can use your bonus action to regain hit points equal to 1d10 + your Constitution modifier. You don’t gain this benefit if you have 0 hit points. You can use this feature again after you finish a short or long rest. At 18th level, you can use this feature twice after you finish a short or long rest. Eye for an Eye Starting at 10th level, when you take damage from a creature that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to make an unarmed attack against that creature. You must have a free hand. MonkMonk are an available player class but are very rare. There are a few monastaries scattered across Athas. Monks usually perfer a life of seclusion and tranquility. Perfering to not get involved with the power struggles of the city-states and the tablelands. Whatever their discipline, monks are united in their ability to magically harness the energy that flows in their bodies. Whether channeled as a striking display of combat⁠ Prowess or a subtler focus of defensive ability and speed, this energy infuses all that a monk does. The Magic of Psionics Monks make careful study of a magical energy that most monastic traditions call psionics. This energy is an element of the mind that suffuses the multiverse—specifically, the element that flows through living bodies. Monks harness this power within themselves to create psionic effects and exceed their bodies’ physical capabilities, and some of their special⁠ attacks can hinder the flow of pisonics in their opponents. Using this energy, monks channel uncanny speed and Strength into their unarmed strikes. As they gain experience, their Martial Training and their mastery of psionics gives them more power over their bodies and the bodies of their foes. Training and Asceticism Small walled cloisters dot the landscapes of the worlds of D&D, tiny refuges from the flow of ordinary life, where time seems to stand still. The monks who live there seek personal perfection through contemplation and rigorous Training. Many entered the monastery as children, sent to live there when their Parents died, when food couldn’t be found to support them, or in return for some kindness that the monks had performed for their families. Some monks live entirely apart from the surrounding population, secluded from anything that might impede their spiritual progress. Others are sworn to isolation, emerging only to serve as spies or assassins at the command⁠ of their leader, a noble patron, or some other mortal or divine power. The majority of monks don’t shun their neighbors, making frequent visits to nearby towns or villages and exchanging their service for food and other goods. As versatile⁠ warriors, monks often end up protecting their neighbors from Monsters or tyrants. For a monk, becoming an adventurer means leaving a structured, communal lifestyle to become a wanderer. This can be a harsh transition, and monks don’t undertake it lightly. Those who leave their cloisters take their work seriously, approaching their Adventures as personal tests of their physical and spiritual growth. As a rule, monks care little for material Wealth and are driven by a desire to accomplish a greater mission than merely slaying Monsters and plundering their Treasure. Creating a Monk As you make your monk character, think about your connection to the monastery where you learned your Skills and spent your formative years. Were you an orphan or a child left on the monastery’s threshold? Did your Parents promise you to the monastery in gratitude for a service performed by the monks? Did you enter this secluded life to hide from a crime you committed? Or did you choose the monastic life for yourself? Consider why you left. Did the head of your monastery choose you for a particularly important mission beyond the cloister? Perhaps you were cast out because of some violation of the community’s rules. Did you dread leaving, or were you happy to go? Is there something you hope to accomplish outside the monastery? Are you eager to return to your home? As a result of the structured life of a monastic community and the discipline required to harness psionics, monks are almost always lawful in Alignment. Quick Build You can make a monk quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Dexterity your highest ability score, followed by Wisdom. Second, choose the Hermit Background. The Monk Level Proficiency Bonus Martial Arts Psionic Points Unarmored Movement Features 1st +2 1d4 -- -- Unarmored Defense, Martial Arts 2nd +2 1d4 2 +10 ft. Psionics, Unarmored Movement 3rd +2 1d4 3 +10 ft. Monastic Tradition, Deflect Missiles 4th +2 1d4 4 +10 ft. Ability Score Improvement, Slow Fall 5th +3 1d6 5 +10 ft. Extra Attack, Stunning Strike 6th +3 1d6 6 +15 ft. Psionic-Empowered Strikes, Monastic Tradition feature 7th +3 1d6 7 +15 ft. Evasion, Stillness of Mind 8th +3 1d6 8 +15 ft. Ability Score Improvement 9th +4 1d6 9 +15 ft. Unarmored Movement Imporvement 10th +4 1d6 10 +20 ft. Purity of Body 11th +4 1d6 11 +20 ft. Monastic Tradition feature 12th +4 1d8 12 +20 ft. Ability Score Improvement 13th +5 1d8 13 +20 ft. Tongue of the Sun and Moon 14th +5 1d8 14 +25 ft. Diamond Soul 15th +5 1d8 15 +25 ft. Timeless Body 16th +5 1d8 16 +25 ft. Ability Score Improvement 17th +6 1d10 17 +25 ft. Monastic Tradition feature 18th +6 1d10 18 +30 ft. Empty Body 19th +6 1d10 19 +30 ft. Ability Score Improvement 20th +6 1d10 20 +30 ft. Perfect Self As a monk, you gain the following Class Features. Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d8 per monk level Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per monk level after 1st Proficiencies Armor: None Weapons: Simple Weapons, shortswords Tools: Choose one type of artisan’s tools or one musical Instrument Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Religion, and Stealth Equipment You start with the following Equipment, in addition to the equipment⁠ granted by your background: (a) a Shortsword or (b) any simple weapon (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack 10 darts Unarmored Defense Beginning at 1st Level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a Shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier. Martial Arts At 1st Level, your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of Combat styles that use unarmed strikes and monk Weapons, which are shortswords and any simple melee weapons⁠ that don’t have the Two-Handed or heavy property. You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk Weapons and you aren’t wearing armor or wielding a shield: You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the Attack and Damage Rolls of your unarmed strikes and monk Weapons. You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your Unarmed Strike or monk weapon. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table. When you use the Attack action with an Unarmed Strike or a monk weapon on Your Turn, you can make one Unarmed Strike as a Bonus Action. For example, if you take the Attack action and Attack with a Quarterstaff, you can also make an Unarmed Strike as a Bonus Action, assuming you haven’t already taken a Bonus Action this turn. Certain monasteries use specialized forms of the monk Weapons. For example, you might use a club that is two lengths of wood connected by a short chain (called a nunchaku) or a Sickle with a shorter, straighter blade (called a kama). Whatever name you use for a monk weapon, you can use the game Statistics provided for the weapon. Psionics Starting at 2nd Level, your Training allows you to harness The Mystic energy of Psionics. Your access to this energy is represented by a number of Psionic points. Your monk level determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Psionic Points column of the Monk table. You can spend these points to fuel various Psionic features. You start knowing three such features: Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense, and Step of the Wind. You learn more psionic features as you gain levels in this class. When you spend a psionic point, it is unavailable until you finish a short or Long Rest, at the end of which you draw all of your expended ki back into yourself. You must spend at least 30 minutes of the rest meditating to regain your ki points. Some of your psionic features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature’s Effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows: Psionic save DC = 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Wisdom modifier Monastic Traditions As a monk, you’ll be able to choose which monastic tradition you follow. Each of these traditions has unique features. Here are the best ones from each. Way of the Open Hand Monks of the Way of the Open Hand are the ultimate masters of martial arts combat, whether armed or unarmed. They learn techniques to push and trip their opponents, manipulate ki to heal damage to their bodies, and practice advanced meditation that can protect them from harm. Open Hand Technique Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can manipulate your enemy's ki when you harness your own. Whenever you hit a creature with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you can impose one of the following effects on that target: • It must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone. • It must make a Strength saving throw. If it fails, you can push it up to 15 feet away from you. • It can't take reactions until the end of your next turn. Wholeness of Body At 6th level, you gain the ability to heal yourself. As an action, you can regain hit points equal to three times your monk level. You must finish a long rest before you can use this feature again. Tranquility Beginning at 11th level, you can enter a special meditation that surrounds you with an aura of peace. At the end of a long rest, you gain the effect of a Sanctuary spell that lasts until the start of your next long rest (the spell can end early as normal). The saving throw DC for the spell equals 8 + your Wisdom modifier + your proficiency bonus. Quivering Palm At 17th level, you gain the ability to set up lethal vibrations in someone's body. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 3 ki points to start these imperceptible vibrations, which last for a number of days equal to your monk level. The vibrations are harmless unless you use your action to end them. To do so, you and the target must be on the same plane of existence. When you use this action, the creature must make a Constitution saving throw. If it fails, it is reduced to 0 hit points. If it succeeds, it takes 10d10 necrotic damage. You can have only one creature under the effect of this feature at a time. You can choose to end the vibrations harmlessly without using an action. Way of Kensei Monks of the Way of Kensei train relentlessly with their weapons, to the point that the weapon becomes like an extension of the body. Founded on a mastery of sword fighting, the tradition has expanded to include many different weapons. A kensei sees a weapon much in the same way a calligrapher or a painter regards a pen or brush. Whatever the weapon, the kensei views it as a tool used to express the beauty and precision of the martial arts. That such mastery makes a kensei a peerless warrior is but a side effect of intense devotion, practice, and study. Path of the Kensei When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, your special martial arts training leads you to master the use of certain weapons. This path also includes instruction in the deft strokes of calligraphy or painting. You gain the following benefits: • Kensei Weapons Choose two types of weapons to be your kensei weapons: one melee weapon and one ranged weapon. Each of these weapons can be any simple or martial weapon that lacks the heavy and special properties. The longbow is also a valid choice. You gain proficiency with these weapons if you don't already have it. Weapons of the chosen types are monk weapons for you. Many of this tradition's features work only with your kensei weapons. When you reach 6th, 11th, and 17th level in this class, you can choose another type of weapon – either melee or ranged – to be a kensei weapon for you, following the criteria above. • Agile Parry If you make an unarmed strike as part of the Attack action on your turn and are holding a kensei weapon, you can use it to defend yourself if it is a melee weapon. You gain a +2 bonus to AC until the start of your next turn, while the weapon is in your hand and you aren’t incapacitated. • Kensei's Shot You can use a bonus action on your turn to make your ranged attacks with a kensei weapon more deadly. When you do so, any target you hit with a ranged attack using a kensei weapon takes an extra 1d4 damage of the weapon’s type. You retain this benefit until the end of the current turn. • Way of the Brush. You gain proficiency with your choice of calligrapher's supplies or painter's supplies. One with the Blade At 6th level, you extend your ki into your kensei weapons, granting you the following benefits. Magic Kensei Weapons. Your attacks with your kensei weapons count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. Deft Strike. When you hit a target with a kensei weapon, you can spend 1 ki point to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target equal to your Martial Arts die. You can use this feature only once on each of your turns. Sharpen the Blade At 11th level, you gain the ability to augment your weapons further with your ki. As a bonus action, you can expend up to 3 ki points to grant one kensei weapon you touch a bonus to attack and damage rolls when you attack with it. The bonus equals the number of ki points you spent. This bonus lasts for 1 minute or until you use this feature again. This feature has no effect on a magic weapon that already has a bonus to attack and damage rolls. Unerring Accuracy At 17th level, your mastery of weapons grants you extraordinary accuracy. If you miss with an attack roll using a monk weapon on your turn, you can reroll it. You can use this feature only once on each of your turns. Way of the Drunken Master The Way of the Drunken Master teaches its students to move with the jerky, unpredictable movements of a drunkard. A drunken master sways, tottering on unsteady feet, to present what seems like an incompetent combatant who proves frustrating to engage. The drunken master’s erratic stumbles conceal a carefully executed dance of blocks, parries, advances, attacks, and retreats. A drunken master often enjoys playing the fool to bring gladness to the despondent or to demonstrate humility to the arrogant, but when battle is joined, the drunken master can be a maddening, masterful foe. Bonus Proficiencies When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Performance skill if you don't already have it. Your martial arts technique mixes combat training with the precision of a dancer and the antics of a jester. You also gain proficiency with brewer's supplies if you don't already have it. Drunken Technique At 3rd level, you learn how to twist and turn quickly as part of your Flurry of Blows. Whenever you use Flurry of Blows, you gain the benefit of the Disengage action, and your walking speed increases by 10 feet until the end of the current turn. Tipsy Sway Starting at 6th level, you can move in sudden, swaying ways. You gain the following benefits. Leap to Your Feet When you're prone, you can stand up by spending 5 feet of movement, rather than half your speed. Redirect Attack When a creature misses you with a melee attack roll, you can spend 1 ki point as a reaction to cause that attack to hit one creature of your choice, other than the attacker, that you can see within 5 feet of you. Drunkard's Luck Starting at 11th level, you always seem to get a lucky bounce at the right moment. When you make an ability check, an attack roll, or a saving throw and have disadvantage, you can spend 2 ki points to cancel the disadvantage for that roll. Intoxicated Frenzy At 17th level, you gain the ability to make an overwhelming number of attacks against a group of enemies. When you use your Flurry of Blows, you can make up to three additional attacks with it (up to a total of five Flurry of Blows attacks), provided that each Flurry of Blows attack targets a different creature this turn. Way of Shadow Monks of the Way of Shadow follow a tradition that values stealth and subterfuge. These monks might be called ninjas or shadowdancers, and they serve as spies and assassins. Sometimes the members of a ninja monastery are family members, forming a clan sworn to secrecy about their arts and missions. Other monasteries are more like thieves' guilds, hiring out their services to nobles, rich merchants, or anyone else who can pay their fees. Regardless of their methods, the heads of these monasteries expect the unquestioning obedience of their students. Shadow Arts Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can use your ki to duplicate the effects of certain spells. As an action, you can spend 2 ki points to cast Darkness, Darkvision, Pass without Trace, or Silence, without providing material components. Additionally, you gain the Minor Illusion cantrip if you don't already know it. Shadow Step At 6th level, you gain the ability to step from one shadow into another. When you are in dim light or darkness, as a bonus action you can teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness. You then have advantage on the first melee attack you make before the end of the turn. Cloak of Shadows By 11th level, you have learned to become one with the shadows. When you are in an area of dim light or darkness, you can use your action to become invisible. You remain invisible until you make an attack, cast a spell, or are in an area of bright light. Opportunist At 17th level, you can exploit a creature's momentary distraction when it is hit by an attack. Whenever a creature within 5 feet of you is hit by an attack made by a creature other than you, you can use your reaction to make a melee attack against that creature. Psionist The psionist learns the Way, a philosophy of mental discipline, to become master of his will, or innate mental power. Most aspiring psions seek out an instructor, a master of the Way. Most Athasian cities contain psionic academies where students receive instructions in exchange for money or loyal service. Psionics are very common on Athas and while nearly all sentient creatures have a wild talent or some skill with psionic disciplines, psionist are true masters of The Will and the Way. Athasian call innate psionic ability "the Will", thought psionicists also refer to their reserve of mental strength with this term. Wild talents have the Will, but rarely can they move beyond the single ability nature has provided them. The study of psionics and the refinement of psionic ability is called “the Way.” While the Will makes the use of psionics possible, only through the Way can a person truly master the powers of his mind and become a psionist. Every city in the Tyr Region has schools devoted to the Way, and wandering teachers can even be found in the wilderness. Rumors of a psionic fraternity called the Order persist throughout the Tyr Region. It’s said that this group of high-level psionicists is dedicated to two precepts: Psionics should only be studied for its own sake, and psionic talents should only be used to preserve the natural order of the world Making a Psionist: The psionist learns the Way in order to shape his Will. The psion uses, through study called the Way, how to manifest the power inherent in his inner self. The psion is able to project this power, the Will, into creating all sorts of supernatural effects. The psioistn may know a limited number of ways to shape his will, but he enjoys great flexibility in how he uses his known powers. Races: Nearly all living creatures have a latent psionic capacity, and psions are found among all sentient races of the Tablelands, and even among some creatures that are not ordinarily considered sentient. Alignment: The search for refinement of the Way tends to draw many psionists into a neutral view of the world, so most psionists have one part of their alignment that is neutral. Good psionist may spend their time in search of new powers, or help their village defend itself against predators, or maybe join the ranks of Merchant Houses. Evil psionists may serve as agents in service of the sorcerer‐kings, or as more shady agents of Merchant Houses, or simply work as mercenariesand offer their specialized services to the highest bidder. Even though many psionist tend to have a neutral view of the world, they can be of any alignment. Playing a Psionist: When you first learned to use psionics, you were taught to create a nexus―a point in the center of your being where physical, mental, and spiritual energy can be harnessed. It is the union of these powers that allows you to perform the remarkable feats you’re capable of. As a psionist, your choice of discipline is all‐important to you. Your chosen path differs greatly for a Psionist. You Can choose The Path of the Psion or the Path of the Psychic Warrior. Both paths have different abilities,powers, and aspects (Positive and Negative). Religion: Psionist use the Way to manifest their inner powers; through long hours of meditation and extreme focus on the senses, they seek knowledge inward. Their power comes from inside them, so only psions from the most animalistic cultures look to outside beings or religions for spiritual fulfillment. Other Classes: Psionists tend to be drawn to those like themselves. Lowerlevel psionist tend to towards a nearly worshipful attitude towards higher level psionist, curious about their mysterious training and knowledge. Higher‐level psionist tend to either stay to themselves, or to try to befriend almost everyone, pressing for party leadership. Most psionist tolerate priests and druids (although some psionist make needling remarks about “foolish superstition”), but most psionist are uneasy with wizards. Psionist view wilders ( Those with some psionic talent) much in the same way that a fighter views a barbarian―untrained, erratic, and as much a danger to his companions as to his enemies. Combat: Psions usually disdain combat and other primitive displays of force, but when needed, you use your impressive array of psionic powers for both attack and defense against your enemies, just as any other psionic character. You have a psionic attack that equals your proficiency + intelligence modifier. Psychic Warriors live for the fight choosing to use their psionics to augment their own fighting ability. Psionist on Athas: Nearly every level of Athasian society is permeated with psionics. Even the humblest slave may possess an unusual talent or ability, while the most powerful enchantments of the sorcerer‐monarchs include psionic elements. Mental powers are used on an everyday basis in Athasian culture. Telepaths allow instantaneous communication across hundreds of miles. Draft animals and slaves are kept under control by psionic overseers. Prophets use their visionary powers to forecast the fortunes of kings and peasants, find missing objects, and solve crimes. Kineticists and egoists use their potent abilities in all manner of enterprises, both legitimate and otherwise. Daily Life: The study of the Way is very similar to the study of magic. Just as wizards strive to master more advanced and difficult spells, psionicists must constantly seek to unlock new and more powerful abilities. Unlike wizardry, there is no single formula that will reproduce an effect of the Way that will work the same for each individual. Students must independently develop the command of their powers. Notables: Its rumored a human Psion known as Mandalis created a secrect Order of Psions to help maintain the balance of Psionics across Athas. The Order only works toward expanding its knowledge of Psionics and does not take up causes that effect good or evilacross the waste. Organizations: Psionists don’t organize together, but they often join other organizations, specially psionic academies and monasteries. Psionic academies much like the Monk Monastry are located in out of the way places. Although do to the large number of creature in the world with psionic ability their are a great number of these Psionic Academies. NPC Reactions: The common people usually react to a psion exactly as they would to any other psionicists in their community. Unlike wizards, psionicists are free of the taint of magic and need not disguise their calling. They owe no loyalty to the sorcererkings, unlike the templars. Even clerics and druids have elemental powers and guarded lands that they must place before all other considerations. Psionicists are free of these patrons and responsibilities and may employ their powers as they see fit. Class Features As a Psion, you gain the following class features. Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d6 per Psion level Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per Psion level after 1st Proficiencies Armor: None Weapons: Simple Weapons Tools: None Saving Throws: Intelligence, Constitution Skills: Choose three from Arcana, History, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Psionics, and Persuasion. Psioncs You have learned to shape portions of your own psyche to attack other psyches, to defend your own psyche in unusual ways, or to directly affect the physical world. The general term psionics refers to the ability to use one’s psychic energy to affect the world outside of the mindscape. Psionic Powers manifest in a manner similar to casting spells using Spell Point variant rules in the DMG, but do not require any spell components. Chapter 10 of the PHB outlines the general rules for spellcasting. See the Psionics Powers list for available Powers, which correlate with the spells listed in the PHB, unless otherwise noted. Psi Points You have a pool of Psi Points you use to manifest your powers. You expend a number of Psi Points to create, essentially, a spell slot of a given level, and then use that slot to manifest a power (cast a spell). You can't reduce your Psi Point total to less than 0, and you regain all spent Psi Points when you finish a long rest. Powers rated of 6th level and higher are particularly taxing to manifest. You can use Psi Points to manifest one power of each level of 6th or higher. You can't manifest another power of the same level until you finish a long rest. The number of spell points you have to spend is based on your level as a Psion, as shown in the Psi Points by Level table. Your level also determines the maximum‐level Power (spell) you can manifest. Even though you might have enough points to create a power above this maximum, you can't do so. Talents At 1st level, you know three talents of your choice from the psionic powers list. You learn additional psionic talents of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Talents Known column of the Psion table. Talents don't require slots and therefore don't require Psi Points. Power Level Psi Point Cost 1st 2 2nd 3 3rd 5 4th 6 5th 7 Power Level Psi Point Cost 6th 9 7th 10 8th 11 9th 13 The Psionist Level Proficiency Bonus Features Talents Known Psi Powers Known Psi Points Power Level 1st +2 Psionics, Psionic Talent 3 2 4 1st 2nd +2 Psionic Discipline 3 4 6 1st 3rd +2 Metapsionics 3 5 15 2nd 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 4 6 18 2nd 5th +3 - 4 7 28 3rd 6th +3 Psionic Discipline feature 4 8 33 3rd 7th +3 - 4 9 39 4th 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 4 10 45 4th 9th +4 Metapsionics 5 11 58 5th 10th +4 Psionic Discipline feature 5 12 66 5th 11th +4 - 5 13 75 6th 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 5 13 76 6th 13th +5 - 5 14 86 7th 14th +5 Psionic Discipline feature 6 14 87 7th 15th +5 Metapsionics 6 15 95 8th 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 6 15 96 8th 17th +6 - 6 16 109 9th 18th +6 Discipline Finese 6 16 116 9th 19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 6 17 125 9th 20th +6 Lord of the Way 6 18 136 9th Powers Known You know two 1st‐level powers of your choice from the psionic powers list, at the end of this class description. The Powers Known column of the Psion table shows when you learn more Psionic Powers of your choice. Each of these powers must be of a level for which you can manifest. For instance, when you reach 3rd level in this class, you can learn one new power of 1st or 2nd level. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the psionic powers you know and replace it with another power from the psionic powers list, which also must be of a level for which you are able to manifest per the Power Level column of the Psion table. Psionic Power Manifestation Ability Intelligence is your power manifestation ability for your psionic powers, since you learn your powers through practice and meditation. You use your Intelligence whenever a power refers to your power manifestation ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a psionic power you manifest and when making an attack roll with one. Psionic Power save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier Psionic Power attack modifier = your proficiency bonus

your Intelligence modifier Psionic Discipline At 2nd level as a psion you must decide psionic discipline you will specialize in, shaping your practice of psionics through one of six disciplines: Clairsentience, Metacreativity, Psychokinesis, Psychometabolism, Psychoportation, and Telepathy, all detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 2nd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level. Metapsionics At 3rd level, you gain the ability to augment your psionic powers and psychic disciplne features (where appropriate) to suit your needs. You gain two of the following Metapsionic options of your choice. You gain another one at 9th and 15th level. You can use only one Metapsionic option on a power or feature when you manifest it, unless otherwise noted. Careful Power When you manifest a power that forces other creatures to make a saving throw, you can protect some of those creatures from the power’s full force. To do so, you spend 3 power points and choose a number of those creatures up to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of one creature). A chosen creature automatically succeeds on its saving throw against the power. Chain Power When you manifest a power that affects a single target that deals acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage you can cause the power to arc and hit other targets. After the primary target is struck, you may spend 6 Psi Points to arc the power against secondary targets up to a maximum of your Intelligence modifier (minimum of one). The secondary arcs each strike one target and deal half as much damage as the primary one did (round down). Each target gets to make a saving throw, if one is allowed by the power. You choose secondary targets as you like, but they must all be within 30 feet of the primary target, and no target can be struck more than once. Delay Power When you use an action manifest a power or discipline feature, you can spend 6 Psi Points to delay the power, up to 5 rounds, from manifesting immediately. You may choose to use an action to activate the power on another turn, within 5 rounds of the initial delaying of the power, or designate its activation when a creature enters the area the power will affect, or the power will activate on your turn after 5 rounds have passed. For an additional 3 Psi points you can use Delay Power even if you have already used a different Metapsionic option during the manifesting of the power. Only area and personal powers can be delayed. Empower Power When you roll damage for a power or discipline feature, you can spend 3 Psi Points to reroll a number of the damage dice up to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of one). You must use the new rolls. You can use Empowered Power even if you have already used a different Metapsionic option during the manifesting of the power. Enlarge Power When you manifest a power that has a range of 5 feet or greater, you can spend 3 Psi points to double the range of the spell. Additionally, when you manifest a power that has a range of touch, you can spend 3 Psi Points to make the range of the power 30 feet. Extend Power When you manifest a power or discipline feature that has a duration of 1 minute or longer, you can spend 3 Psi Points to double its duration, to a maximum duration of 24 hours. Heighten Power When you manifest a power or discipline feature that forces a creature to make a saving throw to resist its effects, you can spend 9 Psi Points to give one target of the spell disadvantage on its first saving throw made against the power. Quicken Power When you manifest a power that has a manifesting (casting) time of 1 action, you can spend 6 Psi Points to change the manifesting time to 1 bonus action for this manifestation Discipline Finesse When you reach 18th level you gain heave become highly proficient manifesting powers within your psychic discipline. Powers from your discipline as described in your 2nd level psychic discipline feature now cost 4 Psi Points less to manifest, to a minimum of 1. Lord of the Way When you reach 20th level you gain mastery over powers within your psychic discipline. Powers from your discipline from as described in your 2nd level psychic discipline feature now cost 6 Psi Points less to manifest, to a minimum of 1. Psionic Disciplines A discipline is one of six groupings of powers, each defined by a common theme. On Athas these disciplines are often literally schools, where students study particular aspects of the Will and the Way. Psions are able to manifest all of the powers listed in the Psionic Powers list, if known, but each Psion also specializes in a discipline as well. Clairsentience Clairsentience enables you to learn secrets long forgotten, to glimpse the immediate future and predict the far future, to find hidden objects, and to know what is normally unknowable. Seer At 2nd level when you manifest Divination powers reduce the Psi Point cost by 2, to a minimum of 1. Foresight Beginning at 2nd level, once per day you may take a re‐roll, with advantage, for one attack roll, saving throw, or ability check. This ability renews after a long rest. Remote Viewing Beginning at 6th level, once per long rest, you can send your mind over long distances which you can see and hear a creature located at any physical distance from you. The subject of this viewing may make a Wisdom saving throw against you power save DC to prevent this viewing. If your target fails, your mind coalesces a quasi‐real viewpoint near enough to the subject to see and hear the subject and its immediate surroundings for a number of rounds equal to your psion level. At 12th level you may use this ability a number of times per day equal to your Intelligence modifier. The Third Eye Starting at 10th level, you can use your action to increase your powers of perception. When you do so, choose one of the following benefits, which lasts until you are incapacitated or you take a short or long rest. You can’t use the feature again until you finish a rest. ‐ Darkvision. You gain darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. ‐ Ethereal Sight. You can see into the Ethereal Plane within 60 feet of you. ‐ Greater Comprehension. You can read any language. ‐ See Invisibility. You can see invisible creatures and objects within 10 feet of you that are within line of sight. Greater Foresight Starting at 14th level, the visions in your dreams intensify and paint a more accurate picture in your mind of what is to come. You may use your Foresight feature twice between long rests, rather than once. Metacreativity With metacreativity the psionicist has abilities to create objects, creatures, or some form of matter. Creatures you create usually, but not always, obey your commands. Shaper Beginning when you select this school at 2nd level, manifesting Conjuration powers cost 2 Psi Points less, to a minimum cost of 1. Minor Creation Starting at 2nd level when you select this discipline, you can use your action to manifest an inanimate object in your hand or on the ground in an unoccupied space that you can see within 10 feet of you. This object can be no larger than 3 feet on a side and weigh no more than 10 pounds, and its form must be that of a non‐magical object that you have seen. The object disappears after 1 hour, when you use this feature again, or if it takes any damage. Quintessence Starting at 6th level, you collapse a bit of time from the continuum, forming a dollop of thick, gooey material called quintessence. You can then take this s subst than prote enter of qu modi the fi Cryst with s Cons instan not d is cry befor targe or obj powe dama psych the m powe when cost b 2nd l fire, l featu modi long r creat incre Start skinblows prote pierc a num also a regai you c your Field radiu you. T effect abilit items suppr into, Psion fields other raw p creat throw dama stunn each 18th Psych physi when Point Rangers The wastes of Athas are home to fierce and cunning creatures, from the bloodthirsty tembo to the malicious gaj. Because of that, Athasians have long learned how to adapt and survive even in the most inhospitable and savage environments. One of the most cunning and powerful creatures of the wastes is the ranger, a skilled hunter and stalker. He knows his lands as if they were his home (as indeed they are); he knows his prey in deadly detail. Making a Ranger: Rangers are capable in combat, although less so in open melee than the fighter, gladiator, or barbarian. His skills allow him to survive in the wilderness, to find his prey and to avoid detection. The ranger has the ability to gain special knowledge of certain types of creatures or lands. Knowledge of his enemies makes him more capable of finding and defeating those foes. Knowledge of terrain types or of specific favored lands makes it easier for him to live off the land, and makes it easier for him to take advantage of less knowledgeable foes. Rangers eventually learn to use the lesser spirits that inhabit Athas in order to produce spell‐like effects. These lesser spirits inhabit small features of the land – rocks, trees, cacti and the like. These spirits are relatively powerless, and cannot manifest themselves. Their awareness is low, and their instincts are of the most primitive sort. The relationship between these lesser spirits and the creatures known as Spirits of the Land is unknown. Races: As the race that carries the most fear and hatred of other races, and as the people with the richest land to protect, Halflings become rangers more commonly than any other race except for half‐elves. Halflings are at home in their terrain (typically Forest Ridge or the Jagged Cliffs) and the ranger class teaches them the grace to move without detection, often to deadly effect. Their practice of cannibalism to emphasize their superiority over other sentient beings puts the ranger’s tracking abilities to deadly use. Halfling rangers tend to take favored lands primarily, followed by favored enemy benefits. In the Forest Ridge, halfling rangers tend to pick pterrans and other neighboring races as favored enemies; rangers of the Jagged Cliffs tend to focus on bvanen, and kreen. Elves frequently become rangers, serving as scouts and hunters for their tribes, but elves are not as naturally drawn to the wilderness as they are to magic. Half‐elves are the race most compellingly drawn to the ranger class, since their isolation and natural gift with animals gives them a head start above rangers of other races. Half‐Elven rangers sometimes seek to impress their Elven cousins with their desert skills, and when they are rejected, the wilderness often becomes the half‐elf’s only solace. A few half‐elves turn to bitter hatred of the parent races that rejected them, and become merciless slave– hunters. Although ranger skills do not come to naturally humans, their famous adaptability wins out in the end, and many humans make fine rangers. A few muls take up the ranger class while surviving in the wilderness after escaping slavery. Dwarves who become rangers find that their focus ability combines powerfully with the abilities of favored enemy and favored lands, but such characters rarely become adventurers since they tend to master wilderness skills in order to guard Dwarven communities. Pterran rangers are common since rangers get along so well with the druidic and psionic leaders of the pterran villages. Aarakocra are similarly drawn to the ranger class to protect their villages from predators and enemies. Rangers are not unusual among the most hated humanoid races of Athas, such as gith, belgoi, and braxat. Among the various and dwindling communities of the wastes, rangers are the most common character class. Alignment: Rangers can be of any alignment, although they tend not to be lawful, preferring nature to civilization, silence to casual conversation, and ambush to meeting a foe boldly on the battlefield. Good rangers often serve as protectors of a village or of a wild area. In this capacity, rangers try to exterminate or drive off evil creatures that threaten the rangers’ lands. Good rangers sometimes protect those who travel through the wilderness, serving sometimes as paid guides, but sometimes as unseen guardians. Neutral rangers tend to be wanderers and mercenaries,rarely tying themselves down to favored lands. The tracking and animal skills of rangers are well known in the World; virtually every trade caravan has at least one ranger scout or mekillot handler. Sometimes they stalk the land for vengeance, either for themselves or for an employer. Generally only evil rangers ply their skills in the slave trade. Other evil rangers seek to emulate nature’s most fearsome predators, and take pride and pleasure in the terror that strangers take in their names Ranger The Ranger Level Proficiency Bonus Features Cantrips Known Spells Known 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 1st +2 Favored Enemy, Natural Explorer — — — — — — — — — — — 2nd +2 Fighting Style, Spellcasting 2 2 — — — — — — — — — 3rd +2 Primeval Awareness,Ranger Conclave 3 3 — — — — — — — — — 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 3 3 — — — — — — — — — 5th +3 Ranger Conclave feature 4 4 2 — — — — — — — — 6th +3 Greater Favored Enemy 4 4 2 — — — — — — — — 7th +3 Ranger Conclave feature 5 4 3 — — — — — — — — 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement, Fleet of Foot 5 4 3 — — — — — — — — 9th +4 — 6 4 3 2 — — — — — — — 10th +4 Hide in Plain Sight 6 4 3 2 — — — — — — — 11th +4 Ranger Conclave feature 7 4 3 3 — — — — — — — 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 7 4 3 3 — — — — — — — 13th +5 — 8 4 3 3 1 — — — — — — 14th +5 Ability Score Improvement 8 3 4 3 1 — — — 15th +5 Vanish 8 4 3 3 2 — — — — — — 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 9 4 3 3 2 — — — — — — 17th +6 — 10 4 3 3 3 1 — — — — — 18th +6 Feral Senses 10 4 3 3 3 1 — — — — — 19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 11 4 3 3 3 2 — — — — — 20th +6 Foe Slayer 11 4 3 3 3 2 — — — — — Hit Points Hit Dice 1d10 per Ranger level Hit Points at 1st level 10 + your Consitituion modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per Ranger level after 1st. Starting Proficiencies You are proficient with the following items, in addition to any Proficiencies provided by your race or Background Armor Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields Weapons Simple Weapon, Martial Weapons Tools: None Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity Skills Choose three from Animal Handling, Athletics, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival Starting Equipment You start with the following Equipment, in addition to the Equipment granted by your background: (a) Scale Mail or (b) Leather Armor (a) two shortswords or (b) two simple Melee Weapons (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack A longbow and a quiver of 20 arrows Favored Enemy Beginning at 1st level, you have significant experience studying, Tracking, hunting, and even talking to a certain type of enemy. Choose a type of Favored enemy: Aberrations, Beasts, Celestials, Constructs, Dragons, Elementals, fey, Fiends, Giants, Monstrosities, oozes, Plants, or Undead. Alternatively, you can select two races of Humanoid (such as Gnolls and orcs) as Favored enemies. You have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track your Favored enemies, as well as on Intelligence Checks to recall information about them. When you gain this feature, you also learn one language of your choice that is spoken by your Favored enemies, if they speak one at all. You choose one additional Favored Enemy, as well as an associated language, at 6th and 14th level. As you gain levels, your choices should reflect the types of Monsters you have encountered on your Adventures. Natural Explorer You are particularly familiar with one type of natural Environment and are adept at traveling and surviving in such regions. Choose one type of Favored terrain: Arctic, coast, Desert, Forest, Grassland, Mountain, swamp, or The Underdark. When you make an Intelligence or Wisdom check related to your Favored terrain, your Proficiency Bonus is doubled if you are using a skill that you're proficient in. While traveling for an hour or more in your Favored terrain, you gain the following benefits: Difficult Terrain doesn't slow your group's Travel. Your group can't become lost except by magical means. Even when you are engaged in another Activity While Traveling (such as Foraging, navigating, or tracking), you remain alert to danger. If you are traveling alone, you can move stealthily at a normal pace. When you Forage, you find twice as much food as you normally would. While Tracking other creatures, you also learn their exact number, their sizes, and how long ago they passed through the area. You choose additional Favored terrain types at 6th and 10th level. Spellcasting By the time you reach 2nd Level, you have learned to use the magical essence of Nature to cast Spells, much as a druid does. Spell Slots The Ranger table shows how many Spell Slots you have to cast your Spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these Spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended Spell Slots when you finish a Long Rest. For example, if you know the 1st-level spell Animal Friendship and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast Animal Friendship using either slot. Spells Known of 1st level and Higher You know two 1st-level Spells of your choice from the Ranger spell list. You learn an additional Ranger spell of your choice at each odd numbered level thereafter. Each of these Spells must be of a level for which you have Spell Slots. For instance, when you reach 5th Level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd Level. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Ranger Spells you know and replace it with another spell from the Ranger spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have Spell Slots. Spellcasting Ability Wisdom is your Spellcasting Ability for your Ranger Spells, since your magic draws on your Attunement to Nature. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your Spellcasting Ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Ranger spell you cast and when Making an Attack roll with one. Spell save DC = 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Wisdom modifier Spell Attack modifier = your Proficiency Bonus + your Wisdom modifier Fighting Style At 2nd Level, you adopt a particular style of Fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again. Archery You gain a +2 bonus to Attack Rolls you make with Ranged Weapons. Defense While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC. Dueling 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. Two-Weapon Fighting When you engage in Two-Weapon Fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second Attack. Ranger Archetype At 3rd Level, you choose an archetype that you strive to emulate, such as the Hunter. Your choice grants features at 3rd Level, and again at 7th, 11th, and 15th level. Primeval Awareness Beginning at 3rd Level, you can use your action and expend one Ranger spell slot to focus your awareness on the region around you. For 1 minute per level of the spell slot you expend, you can sense whether the following types of creatures are present within 1 mile of you (or within up to 6 miles if you are in your Favored terrain): Aberrations, Celestials, Dragons, Elementals, fey, Fiends, and Undead. This feature doesn't reveal the creatures' location or number. 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. Extra Attack Beginning at 5th Level, you can Attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on Your Turn. Land's Stride Starting at 8th level, moving through nonmagical Difficult Terrain costs you no extra Movement. You can also pass through nonmagical Plants without being slowed by them and without taking damage from them if they have thorns, spines, or a similar hazard. In addition, you have advantage on Saving Throws against Plants that are magically created or manipulated to impede Movement, such those created by the Entangle spell. Hide in Plain Sight Starting at 10th level, you can spend 1 minute creating camouflage for yourself. You must have access to fresh mud, dirt, Plants, soot, and other naturally occurring materials with which to create your camouflage. Once you are camouflaged in this way, you can try to hide by pressing yourself up against a solid surface, such as a tree or wall, that is at least as tall and wide as you are. You gain a +10 bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks as long as you remain there without moving or taking Actions. Once you move or take an action or a Reaction, you must camouflage yourself again to gain this benefit. Vanish Starting at 14th level, you can use the Hide action as a Bonus Action on Your Turn. Also, you can't be tracked by nonmagical means, unless you choose to leave a trail. Feral Senses At 18th level, you gain preternatural Senses that help you fight creatures you can't see. When you Attack a creature you can't see, your inability to see it doesn't impose disadvantage on your Attack Rolls against it. You are also aware of the location of any Invisible creature within 30 feet of you, provided that the creature isn't hidden from you and you aren't Blinded or Deafened. Foe Slayer At 20th level, you become an unparalleled Hunter of your enemies. Once on each of your turns, you can add your Wisdom modifier to the Attack roll or the damage roll of an Attack you make against one of your Favored enemies. You can choose to use this feature before or after the roll, but before any Effects of the roll are applied. Ranger Archetypes A classic expression of the Ranger ideal is the Hunter. Hunter Emulating the Hunter archetype means accepting your place as a Bulwark between civilization and the terrors of The Wilderness. As you walk the Hunter’s path, you learn specialized Techniques for Fighting the threats you face, from rampaging elven tribes and hordes of Gith to towering Giants and terrifying Sky Rays. Hunter’s Prey At 3rd Level, you gain one of the following features of your choice. Colossus Slayer Your tenacity can wear down the most potent foes. When you hit a creature with a weapon Attack, the creature takes an extra 1d8 damage if it’s below its hit point maximum. You can deal this extra damage only once per turn. Giant Killer When a Large or larger creature within 5 feet of you hits or misses you with an Attack, you can use your Reaction to Attack that creature immediately after its Attack, provided that you can see the creature. Horde Breaker Once on each of your turns when you make a weapon Attack, you can make another Attack with the same weapon against a different creature that is within 5 feet of the original target and within range of your weapon. Defensive Tactics At 7th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice. Escape the Horde Opportunity Attacks against you are made with disadvantage. Multiattack Defense When a creature hits you with an Attack, you gain a +4 bonus to AC against all subsequent attacks made by that creature for the rest of the turn. Steel Will You have advantage on Saving Throws against being Frightened. Multiattack At 11th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice. Volley You can use your action to make a ranged Attack against any number of creatures within 10 feet of a point you can see within your weapon’s range. You must have Ammunition for each target, as normal, and you make a separate Attack roll for each target. Whirlwind Attack You can use your action to make a melee Attack against any number of creatures within 5 feet of you, with a separate Attack roll for each target. Superior Hunter’s Defense At 15th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice. Evasion When you are subjected to an Effect, such as a red dragon’s fiery breath or a Lightning Bolt spell, 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. Stand Against the Tide When a Hostile creature misses you with a melee Attack, you can use your Reaction to force that creature to repeat the same Attack against another creature (other than itself) of your choice. Uncanny Dodge When an attacker that you can see hits you with an Attack, you can use your Reaction to halve the attack’s damage against you. Rogue Dark Sun offers a world of intrigue, manipulation, secret deals, and subtle treachery—in short, a rogue’s playground. Rather than eking out their living at the borders of society, many Athasian rogues dominate the action in many of the most powerful political factions in the Seven Cities: the Noble Houses, the templars, and the Merchant Houses. Often rogues themselves, the wealthy and powerful deploy lesser rogues as pawns in their endless games of acquisition, espionage, and deceit. Individual rogues run the gamut of Athasian society, from the street rats of the cities to the vagabonds of the outlands, to the prosperous and respectable dune traders, to the low‐ranking templars that search their caravans at the gates. Accomplished rogues are often sought by the nobility as agents, and can earn both wealth and honor in such positions —or earn a quick death should they be caught contemplating treachery against their masters. Making a Rogue A rogue can’t stand up face to face with a mul warrior as well as a fighter or gladiator can. With his cunning and your various skills, however, he excels at taking the slightest opportunity and turning to his advantage. His ability to slip under the notice of an observer makes him a capable lone hunter, but his greatest strength are found through interaction with allies and foes, inside or outside, a battle— he can use his enem's slightest distraction to deliver a lethal blow, or ensure his party's safe passage through a templar patrol. Races: Elves, half‐elves, and humans take to the rogue’s skills and lifestyle with the greatest ease. Halflings, dwarves, and muls, while not commonly rogues, adapt to the class remarkably well when they take to it. Thri‐kreen, pterrans, and aarakocra are usually quite adverse to the rogue class, and tend to do poorly. Halfgiant rogues are unheard of except as fictional figures in comical tales around the fireside. Alignment: Athasian rogues follow opportunity rather than ideals, but as many of them are lawful as chaotic. Lawful rogues tend to seek security and advancement in the service of nobles or in the ranks of the templars. Playing a Rogue Rogues run the gamut of society. Athasian rogues range from gutter snipes who prey upon the merchants and free citizens of the cities to vagabonds who steal what they can from passing caravans or merchant trains. At their best, rogues can be in the employ of the nobility, plying their trade by contract in the name of a royal household, or they can be men or women of principle and honor who steal only from the corrupt and wealthy. There is no thieves’ guild on Athasian cities. However, most Athasians rogues attempt to attract a patron. A patron is a noble or senior templar who will sponsor the rogue and protect him under his house and name. The rogue is then expected to perform certain tasks for his new master in return—including theft, spying, and even assassination. You might adventure because you desire excitement. Someone with your smarts get bored with ordinary pursuits. Alternatively, you might have set off a life of adventure after your big heist or some political manipulation gone wrong. For some reason, you have to keep moving, and a life of adventure offers you a regular change of scenery. All seek to exercise their abilities to grow to even greater levels of power. You are clever enough to know that there’s always more to learn. Although you tend to be (dangerously) self‐reliant, you understand the value of having “friends” and allies in your pursuits, so try to not entangle them in your web of lies and trickery until you no longer need them. Religion Although they are as superstitious as the next Athasian, rogues are not known for their devotion or piety. Chaotic rogues tend to get along best with religions associated with elemental air. Other Classes Rogues enjoy working with members of other classes so long as their own skills and are valued and treated with respect. On Athas, rogue is as honorable a profession as any other, and more honorable than some (such as wizard), and they mark for enmity anyone who describes them as a common thief. Combat You are at your best when you catch foes unaware. Use your skills to hide yourself so that you can employ surprise tactics. In melee, move into flanking position or use the Bluff skill to feint in combat and drop a powerful sneak attack. Advancement You should assign your various skills points according to your role in your adventuring group. If the group already has someone who is good at finding traps and sneaking about, boost your ranks in social skills such as Diplomacy and Gather Information. High bonuses in Bluff and Move Silently are a must if you’re going to use your sneak attacks often. You have many good options for feats, but be sure to take Combat Expertise and Improved Feint to get the most out of your sneak attacks. If you are interested in having a lot of feats, it might be worthwhile to take a level of psychic warrior, since the first level of psychic warrior gives you proficiency with all types of armor, a bonus feat you could use for Combat Expertise or Improved Feint, and a psionic power you could use to boost your rogue skills. If you are the social type, consider becoming a dune trader. Rogues on Athas “Going on personal experience, my one piece of advice to you is this–never trust anything with pointy ears. It’ll either cheat you or try to eat you.” ―Marek, human trader The rogue class gives a player a chance to play the archetypical trickster or scoundrel. Rogues also make great villains. By manipulating NPCs and situations the PCs encounter, or by being employed by a rival noble, an evil rogue can operate behind the scenes and trick the adventurers to his own ends. Daily Life The way a rogue behaves depends largely on his sense of morality. Some think nothing of adopting false identities or working as assassins for their noble patrons in exchange for silver, relying on their skills and charms to get through anything. A few other rogues find themselves driven to use their powers to help people. Notables The human Ramphion is the current leader of the Balican Veiled Alliance and has held the position for thirteen years, managing to rise to his title through sheer force of personality and charisma albeit not being able to cast even the simplest of cantrips. All trade lords are accomplished rogues. Master Sintha Valex is one of those, owner of large warehouses in Tyr. Frequently small quantities of the raw material are “seeming lost” in the warehouse, and end up being sold by Sintha to outgoing caravans to be sold in other cities of the Tablelands. Organizations Rogues don’t organize together, but they often linger around the same places, such as the Bard’s Quarter, the Elven Quarter, or Merchant House’s Emporiums. A rogue joining an organization probably has a specific goal (or target) in mind and rakes a position that best allows him to attain it. A longterm commitment to such a group rarely appeals to a rogue. NPC Reactions Rogues make a good job about hiding their true motives and identities. Individuals who know about a rogue’s true colors begin with an attitude one step more hostile than normal. Lawful clerics and templars in particular look poorly upon rogues, as does anyone who puts importance in forthrightness. As a rogue, you have the following Class Features. Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d8 per rogue level Hit Points at 1st level: 8 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per rogue level after 1st Starting Proficiencies You are proficient with the following items, in addition to any Proficiencies provided by your race or Background. Armor: Light Armor Weapons: Simple Weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords Tools: Thieves' Tools Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence Skills: Choose four from Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Performance. Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth Proficiency Armor Light armor Weapons Simple weapons, hand crossbows, longsword, rapiers, shortswords,bard’s friend, garrote, small macahuitl, tonfa, widow’s knife, and wrist razor Tools Thieves' tools Saving Throws Dexterity, Intelligence Skills Choose four from Acrobatics, Athletics, Desception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand and Stealth. Starting Equipment You start with the following Equipment, in addition to the Equipment granted by your background: • (a) a Rapier or (b) a Shortsword • (a) a Shortbow and Quiver of 20 Arrows or (b) a Shortsword • (a) a Burglar's Pack, (b) a Dungeoneer's Pack, or (c) an Explorer's Pack • Leather Armor, two daggers, and Thieves' Tools Expertise At 1st level, choose two of your skill Proficiencies, or one of your skill Proficiencies and your proficiency with Thieves' Tools. Your Proficiency Bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen Proficiencies. At 6th level, you can choose two more of your Proficiencies (in Skills or with thieves' tools) to gain this benefit. Sneak Attack Beginning at 1st level, you know how to strike subtly and exploit a foe's distraction. Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an Attack if you have advantage on the Attack roll. The Attack must use a Finesse or a ranged weapon. You don't need advantage on the Attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn't Incapacitated, and you don't have disadvantage on the Attack roll. Th levels the R Rogue The Rogue Level Proficiency Bonus Sneak Attack Features 1st +2 1d6 Expertise, Sneak Attack, Thieves' Cant 2nd +2 1d6 Cunning Action 3rd +2 2d6 Roguish Archetype, Steady Aim 4th +2 2d6 Ability Score Improvement 5th +3 3d6 Uncanny Dodge 6th +3 3d6 Expertise 7th +3 4d6 Evasion 8th +3 4d6 Ability Score Improvement 9th +4 5d6 Roguish Archetype feature 10th +4 5d6 Ability Score Improvement 11th +4 6d6 Reliable Talent 12th +4 7d6 Ability Score Improvement 13th +5 7d6 Roguish Archetype feature 14th +5 7d6 Blindsense 15th +5 8d6 Slippery Mind 16th +5 8d6 Ability Score Improvement 17th +6 9d6 Roguish Archetype feature 18th +6 9d6 Elusive 19th +6 10d6 Ability Score Improvement 20th +6 10d6 Stroke of Luckk Thieves' Cant During your rogue Training you learned Thieves' Cant, a Secret mix of dialect, jargon, and code that allows you to hide messages in seemingly normal conversation. Only another creature that knows Thieves' Cant understands such messages. It takes four times longer to convey such a Message than it does to speak the same idea plainly. In addition, you understand a set of Secret signs and symbols used to convey short, simple messages, such as whether an area is dangerous or the territory of a thieves' guild, whether loot is nearby, or whether the people in an area are easy marks or will provide a Safe House for thieves on the run. Cunning Action Starting at 2nd Level, your quick thinking and agility allow you to move and act quickly. You can take a Bonus Action on each of your turns in Combat. This action can be used only to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action. Roguish Archetype At 3rd Level, you choose an archetype that you emulate in the exercise of your rogue Abilities, such as Thief. Your archetype choice grants you features at 3rd Level and then again at 9th, 13th, and 17th level. Ability Score Improvement When you reach 4th Level, and again at 8th, 10th, 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. Uncanny Dodge Starting at 5th Level, when an attacker that you can see hits you with an Attack, you can use your Reaction to halve the attack's damage against you. Evasion Beginning at 7th level, you can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area Effects, such as a red dragon's fiery breath or an Ice Storm spell. 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. Reliable Talent By 11th level, you have refined your chosen Skills until they approach perfection. Whenever you make an ability check that lets you add your Proficiency Bonus, you can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10. Blindsense Starting at 14th level, if you are able to hear, you are aware of the location of any hidden or Invisible creature within 10 feet of you. Slippery Mind By 15th level, you have acquired greater mental Strength. You gain proficiency in Wisdom Saving Throws. Elusive Beginning at 18th level, you are so evasive that attackers rarely gain the upper hand against you. No Attack roll has advantage against you while you aren't Incapacitated. Stroke of Luck At 20th level, you have an uncanny knack for succeeding when you need to. If your Attack misses a target within range, you can turn the miss into a hit. Alternatively, if you fail an ability check, you can treat The D20 roll as a 20. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or Long Rest. Roguish Archetypes Rogues have many features in Common, including their emphasis on perfecting their Skills, their precise and deadly approach to Combat, and their increasingly quick reflexes. But different rogues steer those talents in varying Directions, embodied by the rogue archetypes. Your choice of archetype is a reflection of your focus—not necessarily an indication of your chosen profession, but a description of your preferred Techniques. Thief You hone your Skills in the larcenous arts. Burglars, bandits, cutpurses, and other criminals typically follow this archetype, but so do rogues who prefer to think of themselves as professional Treasure seekers, explorers, delvers, and investigators. In addition to improving your agility and Stealth, you learn Skills useful for delving into ancient ruins, reading unfamiliar Languages, and using Magic Items you normally couldn’t employ. Fast Hands Starting at 3rd Level, you can use the Bonus Action granted by your Cunning Action to make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check, use your thieves’ tools to Disarm a trap or open a lock, or take the Use an Object action. Second-Story Work When you choose this archetype at 3rd Level, you gain the ability to climb faster than normal; climbing no longer costs you extra Movement. In addition, when you make a running jump, the distance you cover increases by a number of feet equal to your Dexterity modifier. Supreme Sneak Starting at 9th level, you have advantage on a Dexterity (Stealth) check if you move no more than half your speed on the same turn. Use Magic Device By 13th level, you have learned enough about the workings of magic that you can improvise the use of items even when they are not intended for you. You ignore all class, race, and level requirements on the use of Magic Items. Thief’s Reflexes When you reach 17th level, you have become adept at laying ambushes and quickly escaping danger. You can take two turns during the first round of any Combat. You take your first turn at your normal Initiative and your second turn at your Initiative minus 10. You can’t use this feature when you are surprised. Scout You are skilled in stealth and surviving far from the streets of a city, allowing you to scout ahead of your companions during expeditions. Rogues who embrace this archetype are at home in the wilderness and among barbarians and rangers, and many Scouts serve as the eyes and ears of war bands. Ambusher, spy, bounty hunter – these are just a few of the roles that Scouts assume as they range the world. Skirmisher Starting at 3rd level, you are difficult to pin down during a fight. You can move up to half your speed as a reaction when an enemy ends its turn within 5 feet of you. This movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks. Survivalist When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Nature and Survival skills if you don't already have it. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of those proficiencies. Superior Mobility At 9th level, your walking speed increases by 10 feet. If you have a climbing or swimming speed, this increase applies to that speed as well. Ambush Master Starting at 13th level, you excel at leading ambushes and acting first in a fight. You have advantage on initiative rolls. In addition, the first creature you hit during the first round of a combat becomes easier for you and others to strike; attack rolls against that target have advantage until the start of your next turn. Sudden Strike Starting at 17th level, you can strike with deadly speed. If you take the Attack action on your turn, you can make one additional attack as a bonus action. This attack can benefit from your Sneak Attack even if you have already used it this turn, but you can't use your Sneak Attack against the same target more than once in a turn. Templar The Berserker-Typist Level Proficiency Bonus Features Cantrips Known Spells Known 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 1st +2 ─ 3 1 2 — — — — — — — — 2nd +2 Spell Analyst 4 1 4 — — — — — — — — 3rd +2 Malefic Chemist 5 1 4 1 — — — — — — — 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement, Biochemical Sorcery 6 1 4 3 — — — — — — — 5th +3 ─ 7 2 4 3 — — — — — — — 6th +3 Ability Score Improvement, Demonic Anthropology 8 3 4 3 — — — — — — — 7th +3 ─ 8 3 4 3 2 — — — — — — 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement, Gunpowder Torturer 8 3 4 3 3 1 — — — — — 9th +4 Consecrated Biochemistry 9 3 4 3 3 2 — — — — — 10th +4 Astrological Chemistry 10 3 4 3 3 2 — — — — — 11th +4 Malefic Chemist 11 3 4 3 3 2 — — — — — 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement, Astrological Chemistry 12 4 4 3 3 3 1 — — — — 13th +5 Exo Interfacer 13 5 4 3 3 3 3 — — — — 14th +5 Ability Score Improvement, Spiritual Biochemistry 13 5 4 3 3 3 3 — — — — 15th +5 Genetic Banishing 13 6 4 3 3 3 3 — — — — 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement, Consecrated Biochemistry 13 6 4 3 3 3 3 1 — — — 17th +6 Phased Linguist 13 6 4 3 3 3 3 1 — — — 18th +6 Civil Alchemy 14 6 4 3 3 3 3 2 — — — 19th +6 Ability Score Improvement, Torque Interfacer 15 6 4 3 3 3 3 2 1 — — 20th +6 Orbital Gravedigger 16 6 4 3 3 3 3 2 1 — — Wizard Athasian wizards drain energy from the surrounding soil. The method used labels the wizard as a defiler or a preserver. Preservers have the self-control to gather energy without destroying the life on Athas. Those who do not, or who feel no remorse about the damage caused, become Defilers. Defilers leave behind sterile soil and infertile ash when they cast their spells. Because of this, most wastelanders blame wizards for the desert landscape that dominates the Tablelands today, and their hatred extends to defilers and preservers alike. In the seven cities, arcane magic is outlawed and feared. Writing is also illegal in the Tablelands, thus wizards have to go to great lengths to conceal their spellbooks, and they have refined this art to the point where even fellow wizards can be hard pressed to identify a spell book. When found, they are precious resources, hoarded and studied by wizards thirsty for knowledge or power Class Features As a wizard, you gain the following class features. Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d6 per wizard level Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per wizard level after 1st Proficiencies Armor: None Weapons: Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, light crossbows Tools: None Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom Skills: Choose two from Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, and Religion Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: (a) a quarterstaff or (b) a dagger (a) a component pouch or (b) an arcane focus (a) a scholar’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack A spellbook Spellcasting As a student of arcane magic, you have a spellbook containing spells that show the first glimmerings of your true power. See Spells Rules for the general rules of spellcasting and the Spells Listing for the wizard spell list. Cantrips At 1st level, you know three cantrips of your choice from the wizard spell list. You learn additional wizard cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Wizard table. Spellbook At 1st level, you have a spellbook containing six 1st-level wizard spells of your choice. Your spellbook is the repository of the wizard spells you know, except your cantrips, which are fixed in your mind. Preparing and Casting Spells The Wizard table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your wizard spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. You prepare the list of wizard spells that are available for you to cast. To do so, choose a number of wizard spells from your spellbook equal to your Intelligence modifier + your wizard level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For example, if you’re a 3rd-level wizard, you have four 1stlevel and two 2nd-level spell slots. With an Intelligence of 16, your list of prepared spells can include six spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination, chosen from your spellbook. If you prepare the 1st-level spell magic missile, you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn’t remove it from your list of prepared spells. You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of wizard spells requires time spent studying your spellbook and memorizing the incantations and gestures you must make to cast the spell: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list. Spellcasting Ability Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your wizard spells, since you learn your spells through dedicated study and memorization. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a wizard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one. Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier Ritual Casting You can cast a wizard spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell in your spellbook. You don’t need to have the spell prepared. Spellcasting Focus You can use an arcane focus (see the Adventuring Gear section) as a spellcasting focus for your wizard spells. Learning Spells of 1st Level and Higher Each time you gain a wizard level, you can add two wizard spells of your choice to your spellbook for free. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots, as shown on the Wizard table. On your adventures, you might find other spells that you can add to your spellbook (see the “Your Spellbook” sidebar). Area of Defilement Terrain 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th Desolate 20ft 30ft 40ft 50ft 60ft 70ft 80ft 90ft 100ft Barren 10ft 15ft 20ft 25ft 30ft 35ft 40ft 45ft 50ft Verdant 5ft 10ft 10ft 15ft 15ft 20ft 20ft 25ft 25ft Forest 5ft 5ft 5ft 10ft 10ft 10ft 15ft 15ft 15ft Arcane Defilement Starting a 1st level, a wizard can choose to defile as part of casting a wizard spell of 1st level or higher. Defiling strips the surrounding land of its life energy, turning plant life in the area to lifeless ash. It also empowers the spell being cast greatly, providing one of the benefits from the Empowered Spell Effects list of the caster's choice. Empowered Spell Effects +1 to Spell Slot Level +2 to Spell Attack roll +2 to Spell Save DC Double spell duration Destructive Spell Effects Defiling creates an area of ecological devastation around the caster dependant on the level of the spell slot expended and the abundance of vegetation in the area (see Area of Defilement table below). All non-creature plant life in the area is turned to ash while plant creatures that are caught in the area of effect suffer 1d10 necrotic damage per level of the spell slot used, turning to ash if reduced to 0 hit points by this damage. If a wizard casts more than one defiled spell from the same location, the radius of destruction expands even further with each defiled spell expanded the radius of defiled land by the distance indicated. Wizard The Haberdasher Level Proficiency Bonus Features Cantrips Known Spells Known 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 1st +2 Gunpowder Torturer 3 1 2 — — — — — — — — 2nd +2 Nuclear Illusionism 3 1 4 — — — — — — — — 3rd +2 Hermetic Geography 3 2 4 1 — — — — — — — 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement, Biochemical Sorcery 4 2 4 2 — — — — — — — 5th +3 Police Cultist 4 2 4 2 — — — — — — — 6th +3 Ability Score Improvement, Nuclear Illusionism 5 2 4 3 — — — — — — — 7th +3 ─ 5 3 4 3 2 — — — — — — 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement, Exo Interfacer 6 3 4 3 3 — — — — — — 9th +4 Torque Interfacer 6 3 4 3 3 1 — — — — — 10th +4 ─ 7 3 4 3 3 1 — — — — — 11th +4 Astrological Botany 8 4 4 3 3 1 — — — — — 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement, Pharmaceutical Gunslinger 9 4 4 3 3 2 — — — — — 13th +5 Orbital Gravedigger 10 5 4 3 3 2 — — — — — 14th +5 Ability Score Improvement 10 5 4 3 3 2 — — — — — 15th +5 Astrological Chemistry 10 6 4 3 3 2 — — — — — 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement, Genetic Banishing 10 6 4 3 3 2 — — — — — 17th +6 Biochemical Sorcery 11 7 4 3 3 2 — — — — — 18th +6 Spiritual Biochemistry 11 8 4 3 3 3 — — — — — 19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 12 8 4 3 3 3 1 — — — — 20th +6 Divinatory Mineralogy 12 9 4 3 3 3 3 — — — — Backgrounds Acolyte You have spent your life in the service of a Temple to a specific god or pantheon of gods. You act as an intermediary between the realm of the holy and the mortal world, performing sacred rites and offering sacrifices in order to conduct worshipers into the presence of the divine. You are not necessarily a cleric—performing sacred rites is not the same thing as channeling divine power. Choose a god, a pantheon of gods, or some other quasidivine being from among those listed or those specified by your DM, and work with your DM to detail the Nature of your Religious Service. Were you a lesser functionary in a Temple, raised from childhood⁠ to assist the prie⁠sts in the sacred rites? Or were you a high prie⁠st who suddenly experienced a call to serve your god in a different way? Perhaps you were the leader of a small cult outside of any established Temple structure, or even an occult group that served a fiendish Master that you now deny. Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Religion Languages: Two of your choice Equipment: A holy symbol⁠ (a gift to you when you entered the priesthood), a prayer book or prayer wheel, 5 sticks of incense, vestments, a set of Common clothes, and a pouch containing 15 gp Feature: Shelter of the Faithful As an acolyte, you command⁠ the respect of those who share your faith, and you can perform the religious ceremonies of your deity. You and your Adventuring companions can expect to receive free Healing and care at a Temple, shrine, or other established presence of your faith, though you must provide any Material Components needed for Spells. Those who share your Religion will support you (but only you) at a modest lifestyle. You might also have ties to a specific Temple dedicated to your chosen deity or pantheon, and you have a residence there. This could be the Temple where you used to serve, if you remain on good terms with it, or a Temple where you have found a new home. While near your Temple, you can call upon the Priests for assistance, provided the assistance you ask for is not hazardous and you remain in good standing with your Temple. Charlatan You have always had a way with people. You know what makes them tick, you can tease out their hearts’ desires after a few minutes of conversation, and with a few leading questions you can read them like they were children’s books. It’s a useful talent, and one that you’re perfectly willing to use for your advantage. You know what people want and you deliver, or rather, you promise to deliver. Comm⁠on sense should steer people away from things that sound too good to be true, but comm⁠on sense seems to be in short supply when you’re around. The bottle of pink-colored liquid will surely cure that unseemly rash, this ointment—nothing more than a bit of fat with a sprinkle of silver dust—can restore youth and vigor, and there’s a bridge in the city that just happens to be for sale. These marvels sound implausible, but you make them sound like the real deal. Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Sleight of Hand Tool Proficiencies: Disguise Kit, Forgery Kit Equipment: A set of Fine clothes, a Disguise Kit, tools of the con of your choice (ten stoppered bottles filled with colored liquid, a set of weighted dice, a deck of marked cards, or a Signet ring of an imaginary duke), and a pouch containing 15 gp Veiled Alliance You work for a secret organization that is devoted to overthrowing the sorcerer-kings and ending their defilement of the planet. You know that arcane magic can be used for good as well as evil, and make preservation your goal. • Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Stealth • Tool Proficiencies: Forgery kit, Thieves’ tools • Equipment: a set of fine clothes, a forgery kit, an obsidian token used to magically communicate with your veiled contact, a list of recent orders and passphrases, a belt pouch with 15gp. • Feature: Veiled Contact. • You have a superior contact within one of the major city states of Athas. This contact can shelter you from harm and reprisal, help hide your deeds and recent actions, and offer counsel when needed. In exchange, this contact will provide you with missions and directives from those who wear the veil. This contact can help you in a moment’s notice, but will abandon you if you take action that the veiled alliance disapproves of. Money and Equipment In a world where survival always hangs in the balance, gear can be crucial. As you make your way across the Athasian wilds, your items help to keep thirst, starvation, sand, salt, and the blazing sun at bay. You need a good weapon and effective armor to fight off predators. A hardy mount can shorten your trip or, if you're desperate, serve as extra provisions. And your traveling gear will make sure you won't get lost, get eaten, or fall prey to the multitude of raiders that roam the deserts. To understand commerce and the availability of equipment on Athas, one must understand that Athas is a metal-poor world. Nearly bereft of metals, all items - including armor and weapons - are made from substitute materials, such as bone, obsidian, or wood. The scarcity of metal has forced the people to rely on barter and different materials, such as ceramic, to use as currency. It has also hampered industrial and economic development as well; farms, mills, and workshops rarely have quality tools to produce everyday products. This chapter details the mundane and exotic merchandise that adventurers commonly find useful in the face of the threats that the world of Athas presents. Starting Equipment When you create your character, you receive equipment based on a combination of your class and background. If you use the Athasian Social Ranking variant, you start with a number of ceramic pieces based on your social rank and spend them on items from the lists in this chapter. See the Initial Character Funds table to determine how much wealth you have to spend. You decide how your character came by this starting equipment. It might have been an inheritance, or goods that the character purchased during his or her upbringing. You might have been equipped with a weapon and armor as part of your mercenary service, or scavenged from your raiding tribe's latest loot. You might even have stolen your gear. A weapon could be the key to your freedom, your only means of defense while out in the deserts, or your signature item when fighting in the arenas. Initial Character Funds Social Rank Funds Merchant House 3d4 x 10 cp Noble 5d4 x 30 cp Nomad 5d4 cp Free Citizen 2d4 x 10 cp Slave ─ Monetary Systems Wealth appears in many forms in the world of Athas. Coins, gemstones, trade goods, art objects, animals, and property can reflect your character's financial well-being. Societies on Athas exchange goods and services in three ways: coins, barter, and service. Nomads usually trade in common goods, bartering for what they need. Free citizens, members of the nobility and merchants prefer coinage, though deals in services are not uncommon. Many an adventurer has provided mercenary work at a merchant house's trading caravan, only to be offered food, water, and some shade to rest during the long trip. Coinage Transactions where goods or services are purchased with money is quite common on Athas, despite the lack of metal; after all, Athas is metal-poor, not metal-depleted. Coins are readily accepted means of payment and, considering the increased value of coins, are less bulky to carry than other forms of payment. Virtually all Athasian city-states issue coins minted in tribute to their sorcerer-kings. Also, some independent dwarf communities and some wealthy merchant families mint their own coins when the precious metals are available to them. Though the currencies vary (a gold coin minted in Tyr might be a bit heavier than square gold coins bearing the Ryharian family crest), they all fall under the standard exchange rates given in the Player's Handbook. The standard unit of measurement is not the gold piece, however, but the ceramic piece (cp). Ceramic coins can be manufactured from the most common clay available, then glazed in specific colors and kilned to discourage forgery. The molded shape of ceramic pieces allows them to be broken into 10 separate pie-shaped bits. Ceramic pieces and bits make up for most of trades; silver (sp) and gold pieces (gp) are reserved for exceptional items, such as weapons and armor, and the transactions that nobles and wealthy merchants deal with. With one ceramic piece, a character can buy a set of common clothes complete with shoes, five waterskins, or two days of accommodation in a modest inn. A skilled (but not exceptional) artisan can earn two ceramic pieces a day. A bit can buy a night's rest in a poor inn, a loaf of bread, or the entrance to one of the city-states. An unskilled laborer can earn two bits a day. Standard Exchange Rate Coin bit cp sp gp Bit (bit) 1 1/10 1/100 1/1000 Ceramic (cp) 10 1 1/10 1/100 Silver (sp) 100 10 1 1/10 Gold (gp) 1000 100 10 1 Barter Barter is the exchange of goods for other goods - no coins change hands. By its very nature, barter is an age-old ceremony of negotiation. Characters who often venture out in the deserts encounter tribes and nomads who usually deal in this type of trade - a herdsman or a hunter would rather own a few waterskins than a handful of coins. Thri-kreen always resort to bartering, since they have little use of coins. When your character enters a barter, you compare the costs of the items to be exchanged and then match the quantities until they are approximately even. For example, Kyuln's tribe wishes to exchange its crop of rice for barrels of water. On Athas, rice is worth 1 bit per pound, and each barrel of water is worth 2 cp (20 bits). Kyuln's tribe would have to trade 20 pounds worth of rice to the merchant in exchange for one barrel of water. Service The services a character renders - from those of unskilled laborers to those of prized engineers - all have an asking price. A character may receive payment for his or her services in other services, goods or coins, depending upon the situation. Adventurers can pay nonplayer characters to assist them or act on their behalf in a variety of circumstances. Most such hirelings have fairly ordinary skills, while others are masters of a craft or art, and a few are experts with specialized adventuring skills. Skilled hirelings include anyone hired to perform a service that involves a tool or skill proficiency: a craftsman, a guide, a performer, a driver and so on. The pay shown is a minimum: some expert hirelings can demand higher wages. Untrained hirelings are hired for menial work that requires no particular skill and can include laborers, porters, maids, and similar workers. Slaves comprise the majority of untrained hirelings; their owners actually receive the listed pay. Militia are usually mercenaries hired within the walls of a city-state. They are lightly-armed and most often have to deal with peddlers, beggars, and thieves. Professional mercenaries are reserved for trips between cities or as caravan guards. They are better-armed and have received better training in combat and survival in the desert wastes. Like skilled hirelings, the pay shown is a minimum. Common Wages Service Pay Hireling, skilled 2 cp per day Hireling, untrained 2 bits per day Mercenary, militia 2 bits per day Mercenary, professional 2 cp per day Messenger in the city 1 bit per message Messenger (telepathic) 3 bits Overland travel 3 bits per mile Road or gate toll 1 bit Variant: Haggling In the course of a transaction, you might want to haggle prices for a given item; maybe your character is tight on ceramic or you find the elven merchant's prices a bit too high. Apart from role-playing it, you can also determine the outcome of haggling through the roll of a die. Whenever you try to negotiate a better price, propose a percentage and make a Charisma (Persuasion) check with a DC calculated as follows: 10 + NPC Charisma modifier + 1 per 10% reduction or increase in price proposed On a successful check, you may reduce or increase the price of the item by an amount equal to the percentage you proposed. You may haggle only once per transaction. Spellcasting Services The above table refer to ordinary services. People who are able to cast spells don't fall into the same category. It might be possible to find someone willing to cast a spell in exchance for coin or favors, but it is rarely easy and no established pay rates exist. Templars in the cities offer spellcasting services to those who abide by their rules; hiring one to cast a relatively common spell of 1st or 2nd level, such as cure wounds or lesser restoration might cost 10 to 50 ceramic pieces (plus the cost of any expensive material). Higher-level spells require finding someone able and willing to cast it, and very rarely templars offer such spellcasting services. Once found, the spellcaster might ask for a service instead of payment - the kind of service that takes the adventurers on a perilous quest. Selling Treasure Opportunities abound to find treasure, equipment, weapons, armor, and more in your adventures. Normally, you can sell your treasures and trinkets when you return to a city or other settlement, provided that you can find buyers, and merchants interested in your loot. Arms, Armor, and Other Equipment. As a general rule, undamaged weapons, armor, and other equipment fetch half their cost when sold in a market. Weapons and armor used by people and monsters are rarely in good enough condition to sell. Gems, Jewelry, and Art Objects. These items retain their full value in the marketplace, and you can either trade them in for coin or use them as currency for other transactions. For exceptionally valuable treasures, the DM might require you to find a buyer, per the rules for selling a magic item. Trade Goods. Outside the city-states, many people conduct transactions through barter. Like gems and art objects, trade goods - bars of iron, bags of rice, livestock and so on - retain their full value in the market and can be used as currency. Armor and Shields All forms of armor listed in the Player's Handbook are available to Athasian characters, though the high price of metal and the extreme heat make metal or bulky armor less than desireable on Athas. A suit of plate armor costs 1,500 gp on Athas, the equivalent of 150,000 gp on other D&D campaign worlds. Simply put, a sorcerer-king can either purchase several suits of plate armor or build a substantial addition to his city walls. Fortunately, however, armorsmiths of Athas have learned to construct all types of armor using more readily available materials. All forms of armor retain the same Armor Class as in the Player's Handbook, with the following notation. Bulky. If the Armor table shows "Yes" in the Bulky column, the wearer is considered to have at least one level of exhaustion during the day, due to the armor's bulk overheating the wearer. Shields. A shield is mostly constructed with layers of leather stretched over a wood or bone frame and hardened. Effective shields can also be constructed of chitinous materials scavenged from dead insectoids. Though made of alternate materials, shields on Athas confer the same bonus; wielding one increases your Armor Class by 2. You can benefit from only one shield at a time. Light Armor Made from supple and thin materials, light armor favors agile adventurers since it offers some protection without sacrificing mobility. It is also the most common type of armor, being quite affordable and not bulky at all to hindrance its wearer in the scorching heat of Athas. Padded. Padded armor consists of quilted layers of cloth and batting. Many Athasian warriors don padded armor woven from giant hair. Carru Leather. Perhaps the most common type of armor used on Athas, leather armor is usually made of carru leather, stiffened in oil. Studded leather. Made from tough but flexible leather, studded leather is reinforced with close-set rivets or spikes made of bone or chitin. Medium Armor Medium armor offers more protection than light armor, but it also impairs movement more. Mekillot hide and inix scale are favored by the heaviest of armored warriors, while traveling under the scorching sun of Athas. Anything higher than those becomes bulky and too restrictive to be effective. Mekillot Hide. This crude-looking armor is usually constructed from mekillot or braxat hide. Inix scale shirt. Made of overlapping inix scales, a scale shirt is worn between layers of clothing or leather. This armor offers modest protection to the wearer's upper body and the scales are thin enough to be muffled by outer layers. Erdlu scale. This armor consists of a heavy coat and leggings of carru leather covered with overlapping erdlu scales, much like the scales of the mount itself. Inix shell. This armor consists of fitted inix shell pieces worn over supple leather. Although it leaves the legs and arms relatively unprotected, this armor provides good protection for the wearer's vital organs while leaving the wearer relatively unencumbered. Chitin. Chitin armor consists of shaped chitin plates that cover most of the wearer's body. It does not include leg protection beyond simple greaves that are attached with leather straps. Heavy Armor Of all the armor categories, heavy armor offers the best protection. These suits of armor cover the entire body and are designed to stop a wide range of attacks. They also tend to be too bulky to handle well while out in the wastes. Even proficient warriors find them too cumbersome to carry around during the scorching hours of the Athasian day; that only makes them quite rare. Bone. This armor is simply hardened leather with thick bones sewn onto it. The bones help reinforce the armor against blows from blades. While it looks massive and imposing, it's the most inferior of the heavy armors. So-ut mail. The scales of a so-ut are attached to a layer of quilted fabric worn underneath to prevent chafing and to cushion the impact of blows. While technically the armor is considered a scale mail, unlike its medium counterparts, the scales are extremely hard and provide a much superior protection. Mastyrial. The chitinous shell of the mastyrial is valued for its protective qualities and it's frequently used as material in shields and armor. By supplementing it with a backing of leather that is worn over cloth padding, a sort of superior armor can be crafted, equivalent to splint mail. Braxat plate. Braxat shell make excellent armor plates that are shaped and interlocked to cover the entire body. A suit of braxat plate includes thick layers of padding underneath the armor. Buckles and straps distribute the weight over the body Weapons The weapons found in the brutal lands of Athas are made of obsidian, bone, and wood; rarely are there weapons of metal. With regard to their costs and characteristics, they are treated the same as their metal equivalents. An obsidian longsword hits like a metal longsword, and a bone carrikal is actually a different battleaxe. Nonmetal weapons are prone to breaking, however, and an adventurer should think twice before venturing out without a few replacements. The Simple and Martial Weapons tables show the most common weapons found in the world of Athas, their price and weight, the damage they deal when they hit, and any special properties they possess. Of special note are the weapon costs, which reflect an item made of a metal substitute. Due to their rarity, weapons constructed from metal are priced at their listed cost in gold pieces. A metal shortsword, for example, would cost 10 gp, or 1000 cp. Weapon Properties A number of Athasian weapons have special properties related to their use, as shown in the Weapons table. Double. Wielding a double weapon is like fighting with two weapons. You can use a bonus action to make a second attack, using the weapon's other end. Special. Some weapons possess unique properties. Refer to their description for more information. Weapon Breakage Nonmetal weapons tend to be break more easily than their metal counterparts, due to their inferior material. The following rule simulates their relative fragility, making combat more unpredictable and exciting. Fumbling Breakage. When you roll a natural 1 on a melee attack roll using a nonmetal weapon, roll a d10. On a roll of 1 or 2, the weapon breaks. Reckless Breakage. When you score a critical hit on a melee attack roll using a nonmetal weapon, roll a d10. On a roll of 1, the weapon breaks. A broken item is considered at best an improvised weapon and deals 1d4 damage (your DM assigns a damage type appropriate to the object). If your character has proficiency in improvised weapons, you can add your proficiency bonus when attacking with a broken weapon. Armor Armor Cost Armor Class (AC) Strength Stealth Bulky Weight Light Armor Padded 5cp 11 + Dex - Disadvantage - 8lbs Carru Leather 10 cp 11 + Dex - - - 10lbs Studded leather 45 cp 12 + Dex - - - 13lbs Medium Armor Mekillot hide 10 cp 12 + Dex (max. 2) — — — 12 lb. Inix scale shirt 50 cp 13 + Dex (max. 2) — — — 20 lb. Erdlu scale 50 cp 14 + Dex (max. 2) — Disadvantage Yes 25 lb. Inix shell 400 cp 14 + Dex (max. 2) — — Yes 40 lb. Chitin 750 cp 15 + Dex (max. 2) — Disadvantage Yes 45 lb. Heavy Armor Bone 30 cp 14 — Disadvantage Yes 40 lb. So-ut mail 75 cp 16 Str 13 Disadvantage Yes 55 lb. Mastyrial 200 cp 17 Str 15 Disadvantage Yes 60 lb. Braxat plate 1500cp 18 Str 15 Disadvantage Yes 65 lb. Shield Shield 10 cp +2 — — — 6 lb. Simple Weapons Name Cost Damage Weight Properties Simple Melee Weapons Bard's friend 2 cp 1d4 slashing 1 lb. light, special - Club 1 bit 1d4 bludgeoning 2 lb. light - Dagger 2 cp 1d4 piercing 1 lb. finess, light, thrown (20/60) - Datchi club 2 bits 1d8 bludgeoning 10 lb. two-handed Handaxe 5 cp 1d6 slashing 2 lb. light, thrown (20/60) Javelin 5 bits 1d6 piercing 2 lb. thrown (30/120) Light hammer 2 cp 1d4 bludgeoning 2 lb. light, thrown (20/60) Mace 5 cp 1d6 bludgeoning 4 lb. ─ Quarterstaff 2 bits 1d6 bludgeoning 4 lb. versatile (1d8) Sickle 1 cp 1d6 piercing 2 lb. light Spear 1 cp 1d6 piercing 3 lb. thrown (20/60), versatile (1d8) Talid 1 cp 1d4 bludgeoning 1 lb. ─ Widow's knife 1 cp 1d4 slashing 1 lb. light, thrown (10/30) Wrist razor 5 cp 1d6 slashing 2 lb. finesse, light Simple Ranged Weapons Name Cost Damage Weight Properties Crossbow, light 25 cp 1d8 piercing 5 lb. ammunition (80/320), loading, two-handed Dart (pack of four) 2 bits 1d4 piercing 1/4 lb. finesse, thrown (20/60) - Dejada 10 cp 1d6 bludgeoning 2 lb. ammunition (20/60) - Shortbow 25 cp 1d6 piercing 3 lb. ammunition (80/320), two-handed - Sling 1 bit 1d4 bludgeoning ─ ammunition (30/120) - Martial Weapons Name Cost Damage Weight Properties Alhulak 1 cp 1d8 bludgeoning 2 lb. ─ Cahulaks 15 cp 1d6 bludgeoning 3 lb. double, thrown (20/60) Carrikal 10 cp 1d8 slashing 4 lb. versatile (1d10) Crusher 5 cp 1d4 bludgeoning 4 lb. reach, special Dragon's paw 15 cp 1d6 piercing 3 lb. double, two-handed Forearm axe 10 cp 1d6 slashing 2 lb. finesse, light Gouge 10 cp 1d8 piercing 4 lb. two-handed Greataxe 30 cp 1d12 slashing 7 lb. heavy, two-handed Greatsword 50 cp 2d6 slashing 6 lb. heavy, two-handed Gythka 15 cp 1d8 piercing 3 lb. double, two-handed Impaler 5 cp 1d8 piercing 3 lb. ─ Longsword 15 cp 1d8 slashing 3 lb. versatile (1d10) Lotulis 10 cp 1d10 piercing 4 lb. two-handed Maul 10 cp 2d6 bludgeoning 10 lb. heavy, two-handed Morningstar 15 cp 1d8 piercing 4 lb. ─ Puchik 5 cp 1d4 slashing 1 lb. finesse, light, special Quabone 20 cp 1d8 bludgeoning 2 lb. finesse Scimitar 25 cp 1d6 slashing 3 lb. finesse, light Shortsword 10 cp 1d6 piercing 2 lb. finesse, light Singing stick 5 cp 1d6 bludgeoning 1 lb. finesse, light Spear, double-bladed 15 cp 1d8 piercing 4 lb. double, two-handed Tortoise blade 20 cp 1d6 piercing 2 lb. light, special Trident 5 cp 1d6 piercing 4 lb. thrown (20/60), versatile (1d8) Trikal 15 cp 1d10 slashing 6 lb. two-handed Warhammer 15 cp 1d8 bludgeoning 2 lb. versatile (1d10) Weighted pike 5 cp 1d10 piercing 18 lb. heavy, reach, two-handed Whip 2 cp 1d4 slashing 3 lb. finesse, reach Blowgun 10 cp 1 piercing 1 lb. ammunition (25/100), loading Chatkcha 10 cp 1d6 piercing 1 lb. thrown (20/60) Crossbow, heavy 50 cp 1d10 piercing 18 lb. ammunition (100/400), heavy, loading, two-handed Longbow 50 cp 1d8 piercing 2 lb. ammunition (150/600), heavy, two-handed Net 1 cp ─ 3 lb. special, thrown (5/15) Athasian Simple Weapons This section lists all the simple weapons unique to Athas. Bard's friend. Popularized by the bards of Balic, this weapon sports several blades and prongs, strapped or mounted to a wooden grip which has either finger holes or leather straps for gripping. When used as an off-hand weapon, you may increase your Armor Class by 1. Datchi club. A 4-foot-long head made of either dried insect hive or dried roots is attached to a 3-foot-long wood or bone handle. Teeth, claws or razors of any type are embedded into the head, which is then swung, inflicting horrible wounds. Dejada. A long, scooped basket is worn on the arm and used to propel projectiles (pelota) at a very high rate of speed. Pelota are spherical objects approximately 2 inches in diameter, made of ceramic, stone or brambleweed. Talid. Also known as gladiator's gauntlet, talid is made of stiff leather with plating of any kind on the hand cover and all along the forearm. Spikes protrude from the knuckles and along the back of the hand. Talid replaces your unarmed strikes and can never be broken. Widow's knife. Named for a similar-looking harvesting tool used in the verdant belts, this weapon has a wide blade on one end of the handle, while a thumb latch releases a pair of prongs on the other end. Wrist razor. Wrist razors consist of a trio of blades that protrude from a heavy arm band. The blades project out over the back of the hand, and are extremely sharp. A h Equipment Item Cost Weight Abacus 2 cp 2 lb. Acid (vial) 25 cp 1 lb. Ammunition Arrows (20) 1 cp 1 lb. Blowgun needles (50) 1 cp 1 lb. Crossbow bolts (20) 1 cp 1.5 lb. Pelota (20) 4 bits 1.5 lb. Sling bullets (20) 2 bits 1.5 lb. Antitoxin (vial) 5 sp ─ Backpack 2 cp 5 lb. Barrel 2 cp 70 lb. Basket 4 bits 2 lb. Bedroll 1 cp 7 lb. Bell 1 cp ─ Blanket 5 bits 3 lb. Block and tackle 5 cp 5 lb. Bottle, glass 1 sp 2 lb. Brooch, plain 1 sp ─ Bucket 5 bits 2 lb. Caltrops (bag of 20) 1 cp 2 lb. Candle 1 bit ─ Case, crossbow bolt 1 cp 1 lb. Case, map or scroll 1 cp 1 lb. Chain (1 foot) 3 gp 1 lb. Chalk (1 piece) 1 bit ─ Chest 5 cp 25 lb. Climber's kit 25 cp 12 lb. Clothes Common 5 bits 3 lb. Desert 2 cp 4 lb. Fine 2 sp 6 lb. Rich 6 sp 4 lb. Slave 1 bit 1 lb. Item Cost Weight Component pouch 25 cp 2 lb. Fire kit 5 bits 1 lb. Flask or tankard 2 bits 1 lb. Grappling hook, bone 2 cp 4 lb. Healer's kit 1 sp 3 lb. Holy element (flask) ─ 1 lb. Hourglass 25 cp 1 lb. Ink (1 ounce bottle) 1 cp ─ Jug or pitcher 2 bits 4 lb. Ladder (10-foot) 1 bit 25 lb. Lamp 5 bits 1 lb. Lantern, bullseye 10 gp 2 lb. Lantern, hooded 5 gp 2 lb. Lock 10 gp 1 lb. Magnifying glass 1 gp ─ Manacles, leather 2 cp 6 lb. Mirror, steel 10 gp 1/2 lb. Mirror, obsidian 3 sp 1/2 lb. Oil (flask) 1 cp 1 lb. Papyrus (one sheet) 8 bits ─ Parchment (one sheet) 1 cp ─ Perfume (vial) 5 cp ─ Pole (10-foot) 5 bits 7 lb. Pot, iron 5 sp 10 lb. Pouch 5 bits 1 lb. Quiver 1 cp 1 lb. Rations (1 day) 5 bits 2 lb. Robes 1 cp 4 lb. Rope, giant hair (50 feet) 1 gp 2 lb. Rope, hempen (50 feet) 1 cp 10 lb. Sack 1 bit 1/2 lb. Scale, merchant's 1 gp 3 lb. Sealing wax 1 cp ─ Signal whistle 8 bits ─ Signet ring 5 gp ─ Soap 5 bits ─ Spyglass 10 gp 1 lb. Tent, two-person 2 cp 20 lb. Tent, pavilion 5 sp 50 lb. Torch 1 cp 1 lb. Tunic 8 bits 3 lb. Vial, ceramic 1 cp ─ Waterskin 2 bits 5 lb. (full) Tools A tool helps you do something you couldn't otherwise, such as craft or repair an item, forge a document, or pick a lock. Your race, class, background or social rank, or feats give you proficiency with certain tools. Except in rare circumstances, all tools and supplies make use of nonmetal substitutes. Unless noted here, all tools are detailed in Player's Handbook. Masseur's supplies. This small bag contains oils and ointments, a few wooden tools and various other instruments that can assist you to apply massage to another creature. Proficiency with this kit allows you to add your proficiency bonus to any ability checks you make to identify or soothe physical pain, and invigorate or relieve someone. Scribe's supplies. This small box contains a variety of inks and pens, sharpeners, seals, and other instruments necessary to inscribe text on physical documents. Since reading and writing is illegal in the city-states, a scribe's supplies is often reserved only for the nobility and the templars and covers all needs for calligraphy, cartography, or even forgery. Proficiency with this kit allows you to add your proficiency bonus to any ability checks you make for the above-mentioned uses. Thieves' tools. This set of tools is actually made of bone. While it works as intended, there is a small chance of the tools snapping, rendering the entire set useless. If you roll a natural 1 on an ability check to disarm a trap or pick a lock, you instead break the tools. Mounts and Vehicles Typical mounts listed in Player's Handbook are not available on Athas. The harsh conditions and the devastating effects of defiling magic have lead horses, mules, dogs and other mammals into extinction. Instead, people on Athas rely on reptilian or insectoid mounts for their needs. The Mounts and Other Animals table shows each animal's speed and base carrying capacity. Likewise, due to the absence of large bodies of water in the Tablelands, waterborne vehicles do not exist. While one might unearth the remains of an ancient sailing ship, halfburied on the shores of the Sea of Silt, such vehicles are more often the subject of myths and legends. The only means of transportation between the inhabited lands of Athas is through mount-drawn wagons and chariots. Crodlu. A crodlu is a large reptilian animal used for transportation or as a beast of burden. It resembles an enormous scaled ostrich whose limbs are tipped by wicked claws. Crodlus can be trained for combat. Erdlu. Erdlus are herd beasts raised by many different cultures on Athas. These large, flightless birds are essentially smaller versions of crodlus. Their omnivorous diet allows them to graze nearly everywhere, and their hardy nature keeps them alive in harsh terrain. Inix. An inix is a large lizard that grows to more than 15 feet long. Though herbivorous by nature, inix are vicious combatants. Inix trained for riding are also trained not to fight while mounted, for no rider would manage to remain mounted while the inix lashed its mighty tail. Half-giants use these as individual mounts. Item Cost Weight Artisan tools Alchemist's supplies 5 sp 8 lb. Brewer's supplies 2 sp 9 lb. Carpenter's tools 8 cp 6 lb. Cobbler's tools 5 cp 5 lb. Cook's utensils 1 cp 8 lb. Glassblower's tools 3 sp 5 lb. Jeweler's tools 25 cp 2 lb. Leatherworker's tools 5 cp 5 lb. Mason's tools 1 sp 8 lb. Masseur's supplies 1 sp 3 lb. Painter's supplies 1 sp 5 lb. Potter's tools 1 sp 3 lb. Scribe's supplies 1 sp 5 lb. Smith's tools 2 sp 8 lb. Weaver's tools 1 cp 5 lb. Woodcarver's tools 1 cp 5 lb. Disguise kit 25 cp 3 lb. Gaming set Dice set 1 bit ─ Royal Game of Urik set 1 cp 1/2 lb. Senet set 1 cp 1/2 lb. Wizard Hunt set 5 bits 1/2 lb. Herbalism kit 5 cp 3 lb. Musical instruments Drum 6 cp 3 lb. Flute 2 cp 1 lb. Horn 3 cp 2 lb. Lyre 3 sp 2 lb. Reed Pipe 3 sp 6 lb. Poisoner's kit 5 sp 2 lb. Thieves' tools 25 cp 1 lb. Vehicles (land) See the "Mounts and Vehicles" section. Kank. Kanks serve as both herd animals and beasts of burden. They are large insectoids, durable and easily tended. Their meat becomes foul-smelling as soon as they die, so they are raised for the nutritious honey globules produced on their bellies. As riding animals, they require harnesses and saddles. They can also be hitched to wagons individually or in teams. Mekillot. A mekillot is an enormous 6-ton lizard, its head and back covered in thick shells. Often used as beast of burden, pulling massive caravan wagons, they are hard to control and sometimes turn on their handlers. Mounts and Other Animals Item Cost Speed Carrying Capacity Crodlu, riding 15 sp 50 ft. 360 lb. Crodlu, war 20 sp 60 ft. 360 lb. Erdlu 10 cp 40 ft. ─ Inix 12 sp 40 ft. 2,000 lb. Kank, trained 10 sp 40 ft. 400 lb. Kank, herd 5 sp 40 ft. ─ Mekillot 40 sp 30 ft. 8,000 lb. Tack, Harness, and Drawn Vehicles Item Cost Weight Barding Inix 40 sp 320 lb. Kank 25 sp 100 lb. Mekillot 60 gp 1,300lb. Bit and bridle 2 cp 1 lb. Chariot 250 cp 100 lb. Howdah, normal 10 sp 150 lb. Howdah, war 50 sp 600 lb. Kank feed (per day) 5 bits 10 lb. Saddle, pack 5 cp 15 lb. Saddle, riding 10 cp 25 lb. Saddlebags 4 cp 8 lb. Wagon armored caravan 10 gp 5,000 lb. enclosed 5 sp 500 lb. open 3 sp 400 lb. Barding. A mount's defense can be reinforced by covering it with barding. Consisting of leather pads, bone, and chitin plates, a barding increases a mount's Armor Class by 2. Chariot. A chariot is a lightly armored vehicle constructed of wood, chitin and hardened leather, designed for riding and combat. Two people can ride a chariot, one being the rider, the other attacking. A creature riding a chariot has half cover against attacks from the front or the sides. Only kanks can be used to pull a chariot. Howdah. A howdah is a frame with seats designed to be mounted on the back of an inix or mekillot. A normal howdah is made of a light wooden frame while a war howdah is constructed of much sturdier materials and offering half cover against any attacks from outside. An inix howdah can hold up to four people. A mekillot howdah can be constructed in a more elaborate affair; it often contains two levels and can accommodate up to sixteen people. Anyone riding in a howdah is considered to be at rest and shaded. Wagon. A wagon is the simplest form of transportation. Crodlus or kanks can be used as beasts of burden for the normal versions. An open wagon is a little more than a wooden box on four wooden wheels while an enclosed ensures its riders are unaffected by weather. Some merchants and nomads convert enclosed wagons into living quarters. An armored caravan wagon requires two mekillots to pull. The exact design of any particular armored caravan wagon can change from trip to trip but in general, the enclosures can carry a cargo of 15,000 pounds of goods, up to 50 fully armed warriors, 25 slaves in transit, and a handful of merchants, nobles, or other travelers. The defense balconies in an armored caravan wagon provide half cover against any attacks from outside. Anyone riding an enclosed or armored caravan wagon is considered to be at rest and shaded. Trade Goods Cost Goods 1 bit 1 lb. of salt or rice 2 bits 1 lb. of butter or raisins 5 bits 1 gal. of beer or one soap 1 cp 1 lb. of common spice or 1 sq. yd. of canvas 2 cp 1 lb. of rare spice or cotton 3 cp 1 lb. of coal or nuts 5 cp 1 sq. yd. of fine cloth or leather 1 sp 1 sq. yd. of rich cloth or 1 lb. of glass 2 sp 1 lb. of copper or one farmer slave 3 sp one laborer slave or domestic servant 5 sp 1 sq. yd. of silk or one artist slave 1 gp 1 lb. of iron or one soldier slave 3 gp one live carru or one gladiator slave 5 gp 1 lb. of bronze or silver Expenses When not exploring ruins of ancient civilizations, braving the inhospitable wastelands, or fighting off raiders and predators, adventurers on Athas, like in every other D&D world, face more mundane realities. Basic necessities such as shelter, sustenance, and clothing cost money, although some lifestyles cost more than others. Lifestyle Expenses Lifestyle expenses provide you with a simple way to account for the cost of living in the world of Athas. They cover your accommodations, food and drink, and all your other necessities, provided they are available - the harsh conditions on Athas can lead to some unpredictable situations. Furthermore, expenses cover the cost of maintaining your equipment so you can be ready when adventure next calls. Between adventures, you can choose a particular quality of life and pay the cost of maintaining that lifestyle, as shown on the Lifestyle Expenses table. Living a particular lifestyle affects the way other individuals and groups react to you. When you lead a wealthy or aristocratic lifestyle, for instance, it might be easier for you to influence the nobles and templars of the city than if you live in poverty. Your social rank may also interfere with your choices of lifestyle. A noble wouldn't accept expenses worse than wealthy, and a hermit would frown upon spending more than modest. Lifestyle and NPCs Your lifestyle choice can have consequences. Maintaining a wealthy lifestyle might help you make contacts with the nobility and the templars, though you run the risk of attracting thieves. Likewise, living frugally might help you avoid criminals, but you are unlikely to make powerful connections. If you wish to involve yourself with a certain individual or group, you might need to use a specific lifestyle. After spending at least five days living in the specified quality of life, you can roll a Charisma check, with a DC set by your DM. On a successful check, you gain audience with this particular person or get affiliated with the specific group you strive for. Lifestyle Expenses Lifestyle Price/Day Nomadic ─ Poor 2 bits Modest 1 cp Comfortable 2 cp Wealthy 1 sp minimum Nomadic You live outside cities. Unaccustomed to civilization, or being destitute, you choose self-sufficiency, staying out in the wastelands. You can sustain yourself by hunting, foraging, and repairing your own gear. This lifestyle doesn't require you to spend any coin, but it comes at a cost. For each day you spend away from civilization, you have to succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) check, or suffer one level of exhaustion. Poor A poor lifestyle links you with the lowest class in civilization. Simple food and lodging, self-made clothing, and unpredictable conditions result in a sufficient, though probably unpleasant, experience. Your accommodation might be a one-room hut in the slums or a bed in the common room above a watering hole. Violence, crime, and disease are a common occurence for you. People at this lifestyle tend to belong to the militia, unskilled laborers, peddlers, thieves, and other disreputable types. Modest A modest lifestyle keeps you out of the slums and ensures that you can maintain your equipment. Your living conditions are significantly better than those in the slums, but you still have to contend with the occasional thug or corrupted guard. You probably live in the old parts of a city, or rent a clean, if simple room at a small inn, and your clothing is unadorned, but sturdy and well-maintained. Ordinary people living modest lifestyles include mercenaries, skilled craftsmen, small shopkeeps, low-ranking templars, and most free citizens. Comfortable Choosing a comfortable lifestyle means that you can afford nicer clothing and can easily maintain your equipment. You make a good living as a merchant house agent or have collected some valuable treasure to spend on luxuries. You live in a small cottage in a merchant neighborhood or in a private room in a merchant inn. You associate with merchants, highly skilled artisans, and midranking templars. Wealthy You live a life of plenty and comfort. You interact with the nobility, the family members of a merchant house, and the most powerful templars. Choosing a wealthy lifestyle while not belonging to the above classes might incur the wrath of the rich, or bring the inquiring templars at your doorstep. This type of lifestyle is reserved for a certain social class on Athas; very few can afford such a life of luxury, and those who do have to contend with the highest levels of deceit and treachery. The wealthier you are, the greater the chance that you will be drawn into political intrigue as a pawn or participant. Your lodgings are exquisite, perhaps a small estate in the richest part of the city, or a spacious keep in the administrative area. You retain the most skilled and fashionable tailor, have servants attend to your every need, and travel on a sedan chair and in the company of the most skilled mercenaries. You attend social gatherings of the rich and powerful, and spend evenings in the company of other nobles or high-ranking templars. Consumables and Lodging The needs for food and drink, and a good night's rest are listed in the Consumables and Lodging table. When you pay for lifestyle expenses, you don't have to keep track of these needs, since they're already included in the quality of life you have picked. Cookie Tastiness Item Cost Ale, gallon 2 bits Banquet (per person) 10 cp Bath Clean water 4 sp Used water 4 bits Beer, gallon 1 bit Cheese, hunk 4 bits Honey 5 bits Inn lodging (per day) Common 5 bits Fine 1 cp Poor 1 bit Meals (per day) Common 3 bits Fine 5 bits Poor 1 bit Meat, chunk 3 bits Separate latrine (per month) 2 cp Soup 1 bit Wine Common (pitcher) 2 bits Good (bottle) 1 sp