Rogue: Fatalist
You were prepared to tend the course of fate. Some events that are fated to be must happen. Others, like dead branches on a tree, must be pruned with care. Sacrifices must be made to ensure an all-important outcome. Above all, you must balance the course of events.
Fatalists have discovered a thread in fate, a possibility, or something destined to happen. It seems fate has chosen you to either ensure that end, or prevent it.
With cunning, intrigue, and even treachery, you are prepared to do battle with fate.
Like other fatalists, you might carry with you a trinket, memento, symbol, tattoo, journal or book, scroll, or small piece of jewelry to remind your of your purpose. You can trust no other to this task which plagues your thoughts and haunts you in the dark of night.
Fatalist’s Purpose
Work with your DM to select a cause meaningful to your campaign. What fated event has driven you to become fate-sworn? This could change in the course of the campaign. You decide if your purpose is to ensure or thwart this event. (This could also change.)
| d20 | Purpose |
|---|---|
| 1 | The fall of a kingdom |
| 2 | The return of a dread foe |
| 3 | The destruction of your family or home |
| 4 | A tyrant or monster’s death |
| 5 | A lover’s departure or death |
| 6 | Extinction of a species |
| 7 | The dividing of a nation or war of succession |
| 8 | The unleashing of a deadly horde or plague |
| 9 | The survival of an heir |
| 10 | A natural disaster or monster’s rampage |
| 11 | An invasion |
| 12 | An agreement or treaty |
| 13 | Your own death |
| 14 | A fiendish pact that will unleash hell on the world |
| 15 | The discovery of ancient or alien artifacts and technology |
| 16 | The unleashing of an ancient evil that was bound |
| 17 | The return of a lost loves one or ally |
| 18 | The survival or downfall of a criminal organization |
| 19 | The mandate of a ruler |
| 20 | The mandate or prophesy of a deity or their representative |
Window to Fate
How did you come to know of your fated purpose? (Ideally this is roleplayed.)
| d20 | Discovery of the fated purpose |
|---|---|
| 1 | A singular vision or revelation |
| 2 | Recurring dreams (DM can voice these) |
| 3 | Eavesdropping |
| 4 | A dying ally or stranger told you what they had discovered |
| 5 | Fortune teller |
| 6 | A premonition |
| 7 | A letter or other piece of evidence discovered in the course of your duties |
| 8 | A little bird told you (or other tiny animal) |
| 9 | Voices in your head |
| 10 | Your future self has somehow left you clues |
| 11 | A book of clues and prophecies you found |
| 12 | A mysterious person or organization reveals to you things as necessary |
| 13 | A ghost or undead entity, for instance a person or ghost only you can see and hear, for example in mirrors or calm water, or in the dark when you are alone |
| 14 | An imaginary friend |
| 15 | Writing that appears on the wall when you sleep |
| 16 | A fairy tale or folk legend with uncanny parallels to present events |
| 17 | Numerology – the numbers tell all |
| 18 | A secret prophecy or duty handed down in your family or organization |
| 19 | An extraplanar visitor or patron (whose identity and true purposes may still be unclear) who visits you to deliver missions |
| 20 | The request or confession of a dying loved one |
Tend Fate
3rd-level Fatalist feature
As you sense impending possibilities, you ready to help fate along at any moment. And you have cultivated the ability to do so from the shadows. You can use your cunning action to assist an ally you can see within 30 feet, granting them your sneak attack damage on a hit before the start of your next turn. You can use this feature if you have not already dealt sneak attack damage on your turn and once you use this feature you cannot deal sneak attack damage on this turn.
Prune Fate
3rd-level Fatalist feature
When you see another creature make an attack roll or an ability check, you can use your reaction to make a special attack to attempt to interfere.
You must have a melee weapon equipped with sufficient reach or, or thrown weapon with sufficient range to reach the creature. On a hit, this attack does the normal damage for the weapon, but does not deal sneak attack damage. And rather than applying your attack ability modifier (for example, Str or Dex modifier) to the damage, the hit creature must subtract your attack ability modifier from their total of the attack roll or ability check. You can use this ability after the creature rolls, but before the results are resolved. Once you use this ability, you cannot do so again until you roll initiative again.
Destiny’s Gamble
9th-level Fatalist feature
At 9th level, when you make an ability check and the DM sets a DC, you can roll 5d6 and choose the DC for your check to be either DM’s DC or the result of your roll. The DM does not have to reveal their DC prior to you making this choice, but the DM could write it down, for instance. When you use this ability and choose your dice roll as the DC, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Crucible of Doubt
13th-level Fatalist feature
At 13th level, on your turn as your cunning action, you can speak to a creature that can hear and understand you, sharing disturbing insights into the creature’s possible future. These words are so startling or revealing that the creature is stunned until the start of your next turn unless it succeeds on a contested Wisdom (Insight) check against your Charisma (Deception or Persuasion). On a success that creature is immune to this feature for the next hour. Once you succeed in using this feature, you cannot use it again until you again roll initiative.
Credits
All artwork is via the Midjourney tool (v6). This subclass was created for the Royal Academy and Dunhalen campaign settings. (More soon!) Thanks to Guild Life server DM Fade for helpful suggestions.
Version History
| Date | Version | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2023.07.31 | 1.0 | Initial release |