Chapter 2 - Character Creation
In light of AC-less Defence, many Classes had their features reviewed and, in some cases, adjusted to make sure they are translated to the new system properly. Also, small player characters now derive new bonuses from their smaller size, so they were weakened accordingly, as described in the section on Species changes.
Classes
Barbarian
Level 5 - Sudden Momentum (new): When you spend Surge Dice to deal more damage with a Reckless Attack, you receive one Surge Die afterwards.
Bard
Updated Spellcasting Table: The Bard uses the Fullcaster Table.
College of Dance - Dazzling Footwork - Unarmoured Defence: When you aren't wearing armour or wielding a shield, you can roll Charisma (Performance) instead of Dexterity (Acrobatics) when Dodging, and you add both your Charisma modifier and your Dexterity modifier to the roll.
College of Valor - Combat Inspiration - Defence: When the creature is hit by an attack roll, that creature can use the Bardic Inspiration die instead of a Reaction to attempt to block, parry or dodge the attack. When doing so, the creature rolls the Bardic Inspiration die and adds the number rolled to the corresponding check, potentially causing the attack to miss or deal reduced damage.
Cleric
Updated Spellcasting Table: The Cleric uses the Fullcaster Table.
Druid
Updated Spellcasting Table: The Druid uses the Fullcaster Table.
Fighter
Tactical Master: When you attack with a weapon you are trained with, you can use one additional Martial Training feature on the attack that the weapon does not fulfill the requirements of.
Battle Master - Know Your Enemy: Additionally, you find out whether there are particular weak spots that are worth targeting and what to expect when making an Aimed Strike against that weak spot.
Battle Master - Parry: When Parrying, you can expend one Superiority Die, rolling the die and adding the number rolled to the Parrying check. If the parry succeeds, you increase the Parrying Power by the maximum roll of your Superiority Die.
Battle Master - Evasive Footwork: As a Bonus Action, you can expend one Superiority Die and take the Disengage action. You also roll the die and add the number rolled to your Hit DC until the start of your next turn.
Battle Master - Riposte: When you successfully block, dodge, or parry a melee attack, you can expend one Superiority Die to make a melee weapon against the attacking creature. If you hit, you add the Superiority Die to the attacks damage roll.
Eldritch Knight - Updated Spellcasting Table: The Eldritch Knight uses the Thirdcaster Table.
Monk
Martial Arts - Dexterous Attacks: Instead of using the Dexterity modifier to determine the save DC when using the Grapple or Shove option of your Unarmed Strike, you can make a Dexterity (Athletics) check instead of a Strength (Athletics) check when attempting to Grapple or Shove, using the Contest rules.
Unarmoured Defence: Instead of being converted to Damage Reduction, your Wisdom modifier is added to your Dodging checks.
Patient Defence: May instead be used to take the Defence Action.
Deflect Missiles: May be used as part of the Defence Action.
Level 5 - Serenity (new): When spending one or more Focus Points, you can instead spend the same amount of Surge Dice. You can also replace a part of the Focus Point cost with the same amount of Surge Dice.
For example, when spending 3 Focus Points, you may instead spend either 3 Surge Dice, 2 Surge Dice + 1 Focus Point, or 1 Surge Die + 2 Focus Points.
Paladin
Updated Spellcasting Table: The Paladin uses the Halfcaster Table.
Oath of Glory - Glorious Defence: Instead of increasing the targets AC, your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1) is subtracted from the attack roll, potentially causing the attack to miss.
Ranger
Updated Spellcasting Table: The Ranger uses the Halfcaster Table.
Beast Master: Instead of their AC value, the Beast Masters beast will have a Damage Reduction equal to 3 + the Rangers Wisdom modifier.
Gloomstalker - Shadowy Dodge: You roll Dodging checks with Advantage. After a dodge, you can teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see, regardless of whether the dodge was successful or not.
Hunter - Multiattack Defence: When you block, dodge, or parry a creatures attack, you may block, dodge, or parry all following attacks made by the same creature against you this turn without using another Reaction.
Rogue
Sneak Attack: Additionally, you don't need Advantage on the attack roll if your target cannot see you and you don't have Disadvantage on the attack roll.
Uncanny Dodge: When your Dodging checks fail, you only take half damage instead of full damage. If you fail a Dodge & Roll or all spots within 10 feet of you are occupied when making a Dodge & Roll, you do not fall Prone.
Level 5 - Prepared Strike (new): When using Surge Dice to increase the damage of a Sneak Attack, the Surge Dice are d12 instead of d6.
Arcane Trickster - Updated Spellcasting Table: The Arcane Trickster uses the Thirdcaster Table.
Sorcerer
Updated Spellcasting Table: The Sorcerer uses the Fullcaster Table.
Sorcery Points: You now have Sorcery Points equal to twice your Sorcerer level instead, starting with 4 Sorcery Points at level 2. The cost of Metamagic Options is doubled accordingly.
Sorcery Points - Converting Spell Points to Sorcery Points: You can spend any number of Spell Points to convert them into Sorcery Points, no action required. When doing so, 3 Spell Points become 2 Sorcery Points.
Sorcery Points - Converting Sorcery Points to Spell Points: As a Bonus Action, you can transform any number of unspent Sorcery Points into Spell Points. When doing so, 1 Sorcery Point becomes 1 Spell Point.
Metamagic - Quickened Spell: You can now use this feature even if you have already spent Spell Points this round, and you can spend more Spell Points afterwards.
Draconic Sorcery - Draconic Resilience: Instead of adding your Charisma modifier to your AC when you are not wearing armour, your Charisma modifier is added to your Damage Reduction.
Wild Magic Sorcery - Wild Magic Surge - 49-52: Instead of increasing your AC by 2, the floating shield gives half cover. If you already benefit from half cover, you benefit from three quarters cover instead.
Warlock
Pact Magic - Spell Slots: Similar to all other classes, you now also use Spell Points. However, as your patron is the source of your power, you do not have these Spell Points yourself. Instead, you have the potentially enormous supply of your patron at your disposal, only limited by your ability to be your patrons conduit and your patrons willingness or pact-bound duty to provide for you. As such, you are only limited by your Spell Limits and their Patronage, as shown below.
| Level | Caster Proficiency & Training | Spell Limits | Patronage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 2 | 4 | 2 | |
| 3 | 6 | ||
| 4 | 7 | ||
| 5 | 3 | 9 | |
| 6 | 10 | ||
| 7 | 12 | ||
| 8 | 13 | ||
| 9 | 4 | 15 | |
| 10 | 16 | ||
| 11 | 18 | 3 | |
| 12 | 19 | ||
| 13 | 5 | 21 | |
| 14 | 22 | ||
| 15 | 24 | ||
| 16 | 25 | ||
| 17 | 6 | 27 | 4 |
| 18 | 28 | ||
| 19 | 30 | ||
| 20 | 31 |
Patronage: The Patronage determines how often you can spend your patrons Spell Points before they temporarily cut off your supply. This is the case after you've spent their Spell Points a number of times equal to the number noted in the table above, with the count resetting after you finish a Short or Long Rest.
This may, for example, express your patrons limited willingness to offer their power to a weaker being, a lack of established trust between you and your patron, or terms of the pact agreed upon as such, with the Patronage resetting when you appeal to your patron or ask for more during a Rest, or, again, because the pact says so.
Patronage with other Spell Point Features: When one of your features uses Spell Points, you can decide to use your patrons Spell Points instead, at the cost of a Patronage use. For example, you can use your Patronage to spend any number of Spell Points to get Sorcery Points through the Sorcerers conversion feature. This is constrained by the Spell Limits as usual.
Free Eldritch Invocations: When an Eldritch Invocation Option allows you to cast a spell without expending a spell slot, you instead cast that spell without spending Spell Points through that Eldritch Invocation. You cast the spell as if you've spent a number of Spell Points equal to your Warlock Preparation Limit on it.
Patronage - Variant: You and your DM may find your own consensus about how your patron supplies you with Spell Points. For example, you may decide that your patron offers more of their supply when you fulfill their tasks or act following their ideals, and that they cut it off only when you break a promise or act in opposition to their ideals.
When finding and playing with a consensus like this, always consider how your power compares to that of your party members, so that you have neither too many Spell Points at your disposal nor too few. The narrative, however, may on occasion lead to one extreme or the other, and it can be fun and interesting to follow the narrative there from time to time. It is about the pact and relationship between you and your patron, after all. Whether you two are buddies, business partners, or one exploits or extorts the other, that is up to discussion and design.
Wizard
Updated Spellcasting Table: The Wizard uses the Fullcaster Table.
Arcane Recovery: Once per Long Rest, when you finish a Short Rest, you can recover a number of Spell Points equal to your Wizard Preparation Limit.
Abjurer - Arcane Ward: Instead of depending on the use of a spell slot, the Arcane Ward now depends on the use of Spell Points. Whenever you cast an Abjuration spell with Spell Points, the ward regains a number of Hit Points equal to the number of Spell Points spent.
Alternatively, as a Bonus Action, you can spend any number of Spell Points, and the ward regains a number Hit Points equal to the number of Spell Points spent.
When casting an Abjuration spell with reduced Spell Point cost, the ward gains a number of Temporary Hit Points equal to the Spell Point cost reduction.
Species
Too many goodies for small characters: In these rules, small creatures benefit through both a higher base Hit DC as well as more easily accessible cover, with no associated drawbacks. In play, this leads to a significantly increased presence of small characters. To counter this, the following two weaknesses are introduced:
- Small creatures have their movement speed reduced by 5 feet.
- Small creatures have their Constitution score reduced by 1.