Heroic Legacies

Heavily devoted to swordsmanship with many years of diligent practice. Must wield a sword to use these powers.

Whirlwind

Make one melee attack against every opponent within reach as an action. If the character gets multiple attacks per round using the attack action, this ability replaces those attacks.

Compositions

If the blademaster strikes a single target more than once in a combat round, the target takes an extra GD of slashing damage. No creature can suffer this extra damage more than once per round, even if hit more than twice.

Guarding

If the blademaster uses PROF for defense instead of armor, they gain an additional +2 bonus to defense.

Shieldman and guardian fighting styles. Must be using a shield of at least medium size to use these abilities.

Slam

Make an off-hand attack using a shield as a bonus action. Damage is a GD plus MIGHT/AGILITY and the shield’s enchantment bonuses (if any).

Denial

Once per round, cause a melee or missile attack made against an ally within weapon reach to target the bulwark instead. No action required; declared after the attack is rolled but before damage is dealt. If the attack roll is too low to hit the bulwark’s defense, it misses.

Blitz

As a standard action, make a charge attack against a large or smaller opponent. If successful, the target suffers double shield damage and is knocked prone.

Cavalry combat style and many years of diligent practice in a cavalry squadron or similar warrior order. Must be mounted to use these powers.

Unity

While mounted, gain 50% of maximum health pool as bonus health. This pool refreshes after each full rest and cannot be restored or refreshed any other way. The chevalier and steed count as a single large creature using the character’s health pool. As long as the character remains mounted, their steed does not die unless or until they do.

Gallop

Mounted speed increases by 10, and the chevalier can dash as a bonus action.

Control

The mount has perfect morale, will obey any order, and the rider can redirect spells and effects targeting their mount to themselves instead. The chevalier can also order their mount to make a melee attack as a bonus action. If a player is deprived of their mount, this legacy is invalidated.

Proficient in heavy armor and a might score of at least 20. Must be wearing heavy armor to use most of these powers.

Bastion

Immune to critical hits and cannot be knocked prone or forcibly moved by any creature less than three size categories larger while conscious. Polearms cannot be braced against a charging dreadnought.

Crusher

Once per round when striking an opponent in melee, deal an extra GD of crushing damage. On a natural 20 melee attack against a creature no more than one size category larger, the target is knocked prone.

Unbreakable

Unless made higher by other sources, soak score is never less than PROF, regardless of armor.

Trained extensively with knives and daggers. Must be using such weapons to use these powers.

Backslash

Once per round, if you successfully hit with a melee attack, you can make a second attack against the same target for free.

Precision

The first attack you make in a surprise round deals an extra GD of damage.

Trickthrow

Advantage on attack rolls to make trick throws. The attack must be flashy and cannot deal direct damage.

Trained extensively with ropes, chains, and whips in combat. Must be wielding a whip or chain weapon to use these powers.

Impact

Deal a GD of damage with whips and chain weapons. Can also perform the full range of melee combat maneuvers utilizing the reach of such weapons.

Bindings

If using PROF for defense instead of armor, the lasher can wrap their body in ropes or chains for +1 defense.

Hogtie

Bind a target with rope during a successful grapple. The target remains grappled even if the lasher does not maintain the grapple. Each round the target can attempt an athletics check against the lasher’s maneuver skill to break free.

Heavily devoted to marksmanship with many years of diligent practice. Must wield a weapon with the missile trait.

Deadeye

Deal +2 damage with weapons that have the missile trait.

Volley

In any round where the sharpshooter uses the attack action to exclusively fire missiles, they may use a bonus action to fire two more missiles. Every missile fired that round must target a separate opponent.

Trickshot

Advantage on attack rolls to make trick shots. The attack must be flashy and cannot deal direct damage.

Exposed to some form of planar taint, dark occult science, cursed artifact, or similar malady — and mastered the condition. Can shapeshift into a unique quasi-monstrous form (with claws) as a bonus action. Once chosen, the form is fixed. Benefits apply only in this form.

Enhanced

Gain +3 points to distribute among physical statistics, +4 intimidation, and poison immunity.

Claws

Unarmed attacks deal a GD of slashing damage, and the character can make one unarmed attack as a bonus action.

Toxicity

If the character is bitten or a creature consumes their blood, the attacker suffers a GD of poison or psychic damage (player’s choice). This poison denatures within 1 round of leaving the character’s body.

Inducted into a berserker lodge and undergone shamanistic rites establishing a spiritual connection to the lodge’s patron animal spirit.

Rage

Gain a pool of spiritual rage points equal to PROF+1. Once per round, expend one point to make an additional attack during the attack action, increase foot speed by PROF×10 for the round, or re-roll a failed saving throw. Rage replenishes during an interlude or full rest.

Totem

Gain supernatural boons from the animal spirit of the lodge. Examples are listed in a separate document.

Successfully meet, befriend, and persuade a draconid of suitable size (not a kaiju) to serve as a mount. After training, a magical bond forms, imparting abilities so long as the mount lives. Cannot have more than one bonded mount at a time.

Feather

Never suffers falling damage. Momentum diffuses just before impact, and the dragonrider always lands safely.

Wyrmkin

Communicate with all draconids; most such creatures are neutral toward the character unless antagonized. Perfect morale and immunity to supernatural fear effects regardless of source.

Infusion

Immune to one form of damage their bonded mount is resistant or immune to. Deal an extra +1d6 damage of this type with all spells and attacks.

Proficient with martial weapons, mastered at least four fighting styles, died heroically in battle, and been chosen by a suitable deity for elevation to immortality.

Champion

Add 4 points to statistics, distributed as desired. Immune to one form of damage associated with the deity.

Eternal

Stop physically deteriorating right at the cusp of middle age — bodies still strong, with the dignified veneer of senior warriors.

Deathless

Restored to perfect life and health every nightfall, even if killed or the body is destroyed. The soul is hidden in a phylactery; only by destroying the phylactery can the einherjar truly die. If the body is destroyed, they reform in a random location within 1d6 miles of the site of death at nightfall.

Nature and deception skills, martial weapon proficiency, and the blessing of an archfey.

Beguiling

Advantage on saves against charm and fear effects. As a reaction, switch the target of one such effect made within line of sight to a new creature; if the new target fails its save it is frightened of or charmed by the feyknight for 1 minute, with a new save each round on its turn.

Glamoured

+2 to subterfuge and diplomacy, and +2 psychic damage with melee and missile attacks.

Fleeting

Cast blink once per minute as a bonus action.

Proficiency in carving or sculpting tools, the arcana skill, and martial weapon proficiency. Runeknights learn the ancient Titan arts of size alteration and rune-carving.

Titan’s Might

Grow large as a bonus action: doubling dimensions, increasing weight by a factor of eight, and melee attacks deal an extra weapon die of damage.

Runeward

When another creature within 60 feet is hit by an attack, use a reaction to force the attacker to reroll the d20 and use the new roll.

Elemental Rune

During an interlude or full rest, choose one rune: Cloud (lightning resistance, +2 subterfuge, +2 lightning weapon damage); Fire (fire resistance, +2 intimidate, +2 fire weapon damage); Frost (cold resistance, +2 athletics, +2 cold weapon damage); Stone (acid resistance, +2 empathy, +2 acid weapon damage); Storm (thunder resistance, +2 arcana, +2 thunder weapon damage).

Studied under a necromancer, vampire, succubus, or similar life-stealing being, and benefited from longevity-extending magic at least once. Preying on innocents to prolong life is evil; battle against dangerous opponents is not.

Dim Mak

On a critical hit, recover 1 level of exhaustion (if any) and regain health equal to half the damage dealt. In combat, use physical statistics or arete for the attack bonus; damage is a GD plus unarmed damage bonus or arete bonus, whichever is higher.

Doomward

Immune to necrotic damage and always succeed on saves against necromancy effects.

Longevity

Prolong life with stolen life force. The exact amount required to arrest aging is up to the narrator.

Inducted into a paramilitary order dedicated to destroying fiends, undead, and evil fey. During induction the hopeful drinks an elixir of mixed fiend, vampire, and fey blood — those of insufficient level die.

Detection

Automatically sense when a fiend, undead, or fey creature comes within twenty feet (does not pinpoint location). If ambushed by such creatures, always act during the surprise round.

Sanctified

Advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects from fiends, undead, or fey. If disabled or charmed by such an effect, use an action to end it. Score a critical hit against such creatures on a natural 19 or 20.

Lightbane

Convert any damage dealt with melee, missile, or spell attacks into radiant damage instead. With missile weapons, can fire bolts of light dealing radiant damage instead of using ammunition.

Female, proficient with martial weapons and medium armor, and willing to swear fealty to a deity of war. Acts as psychopomp for the souls of qualifying dead warriors.

Might

Add 4 points to statistics, distributed between physical stats and charisma. Ceases physical aging like a druid; still dies at the end of natural lifespan, and feels the end coming 1 year before it happens.

Psychopomp

Transcend any willing undead creature that died in battle or held levels in a warrior archetype. Doing so grants a pool of temporary health equal to character level.

Wings

Manifest spectral wings as a bonus action, gaining a flight speed equal to foot speed in mph for 1 hour per full rest, broken into 1-minute increments. Also gain the glide cantrip.

Acquire the favor of a relevant animal spirit, be cured of lycanthropy, or similar — and acquire mystic tattoos, animal hides, or an amulet to embody the powers. Pick a totem animal; shift between animal, ogre-like hybrid, and natural form as a free action. Equipment alters form or merges into the body and cannot be accessed until in a suitable form.

Bestial

Unarmed attacks deal 1d12 slashing, piercing, or crushing damage; can make one unarmed attack as a bonus action. In hybrid form the werekin is size large, gains advantage on might-based skill checks, and triples jumping distance.

Scent

Enjoys the scent ability in all forms.

Regenerate

Regains 6 health per hour in all forms.

Proficient in occult and theology, speaks two outer planar languages, and able to cast 5th-level spells.

Blinding

Radiate a psychic light in combat only extraplanar creatures can see. Any non-prime creature coming within 10 feet of a hostile banisher must make a Will save on its turn or be blinded that round.

Excision

If a creature rolls a natural 1 on a save against a spell the banisher casts, it suffers the effects of the clarion spell AND is banished back to its home plane (if applicable).

Power

Gain apotropaism, banishment, and alluvion as bonus spells.

Capable of casting arcane spells and trained in an elite military program with other battlemages. Must wield an enchanted weapon as an arcane tool for casting.

Martial

Proficiency with medium armor, shields, and martial weapons. Magical versions of these items do not contribute to encumbrance and their weight becomes zero while equipped.

Lifelink

Deduct up to half of any damage received from spell points instead of health. Cannot absorb poison or psychic damage.

Destructive

Add a GD to the damage of any spell cast. If the spell damage is based on Arete and already uses PROF to calculate damage, the PROF bonus is doubled for that spell.

Able to cast 5th-level spells and gained the tutelage of an ancient undead mystic (liche, heucuva). Three trials: transcend a ghost, adopt an undead familiar, and drink the blood of a destroyed master vampire.

Gravetouched

Gain many benefits of the undead template — no need to eat, breathe, drink, or sleep; immune to poison and exhaustion. If the gravelord does not eat or sleep for more days than their endurance score, they begin to suffer the Hollowing (see Undead creatures), using the rules for insanity.

Nightsong

Body becomes cool to the touch; undead regard the mystic as one of their own. Unintelligent undead do not attack unless provoked, and the gravelord can use Arete for social interactions with undead. Unintelligent undead obey the gravelord’s commands unless actively obeying another undead entity.

Necropotence

Gain undeath, blight, and doomgaze as bonus spells.

At least three intellect-based skills, speaks at least three languages, able to cast 5th-level spells, and access to a major repository of supernatural and mundane lore.

Secrets

During a full rest, prepare 1 spell of any level the loremaster can cast. This spell is in addition to normal allotment and may be drawn from any list (arcane, divine, or primal).

Trivia

+2 to all intellect-based skills. Can attempt intellect-based skills untrained.

Cram

Once per month, with a proficient and willing tutor, embark upon a montage of intense study lasting one full day. The loremaster gains proficiency in that skill. Each new use replaces the previous skill learned this way.

Female, good-aligned, and capable of casting primal spells. Must carry a special token of three swan feathers to retain powers; a lost token can be remade by a day-long ritual on holy ground.

Wildshape

Shapeshift into a bird ranging from size tiny to large as a bonus action. Tiny (finch, crow, etc.): advantage on stealth rolls. Large (giant owl or eagle, etc.): carry up to two medium or small creatures in talons while flying. Can revert to humanoid shape in the blink of an eye without using any action, even off-turn.

Hawkeyes

Sight of an eagle and hearing of an owl. +4 alertness and advantage on perception checks regardless of form. With missile weapons, no penalties for long range.

Purity

Immune to poison and can prepare an additional 2 primal spells of any level they can cast.

Spell caster with training in arcana, nature, and theology. Sorcerers cannot take this legacy because their souls already bridge all fields of magic.

Diversity

Prepare 3 spells of 6th level or less from any spell list. These spells must be of a level the theurge can cast.

Retention

+3 maximum number of prepared spells.

Lore

+2 to arcana, nature, and theology.

Occult skill, ability to cast 5th-level spells, and survived a close encounter with shadow magic that left a spiritual impression.

Nightwalk

When casting a spell of 1st level or higher, use a reaction to cast blink, teleporting to a nearby spot with dim lighting or less.

Shade

In darkness or dim light, gain advantage on saves against spells, heal 6 health per hour, and regenerate lost limbs during a full rest. In normal or bright areas these abilities do not function and the umbralist cannot heal naturally.

Power

Gain obtenebration, trapdoor, and blight as bonus spells.

Received an infusion of blood, magic, or spiritual essence from a true dragon donor, learned draconic, and capable of casting 5th or higher level spells.

Reptilian

Unarmed attacks deal a GD of slashing damage; can make one unarmed attack as a bonus action. Patches of scaly magic-infused skin grant +1 to defense, soak, and saves.

Infusion

Immune to one form of elemental damage and deal an extra 1d6 elemental damage of this type with damaging spells. Can substitute this element for the damage type of any spell cast.

Power

Gain the ability to prepare an additional 2 spells.

Proficiency in medicine and alchemist tools. Must own alchemist tools and a belt/satchel. Creates 1 item per interlude or 2 per full rest. Materials cost is set by the narrator (scavengeable by a free traveler in 1 week). Max prepared creations equal PROF+1; producing more denatures the oldest. Save DC for all alchemist items is PROF+13. Solutions can be left behind or given away, but the cap remains.

Bombs

Small vial that explodes when shattered, dealing PROF d8’s of fire, acid, radiant, or force damage in a 15-foot radius (reflex save for half). Usable as a grenade or trap rigged to shatter.

Drugs

Consumed in drops. Effects include: sleep or paralysis 1d6 hours; remove 2 levels of exhaustion; advantage on checks and saves with 1 statistic for 1 hour; reduce madness by 1 level. Other effects possible at narrator’s discretion. A successful fortitude save against an undesirable effect leaves the victim nauseous and disoriented, with 1 level of exhaustion.

Medicine

All-purpose panacea poured on injury or consumed. Heals PROF d12’s of health and fully cleanses the user of poison, disease, parasites, radiation, and supernatural taint.

Poisons

A single application deals PROF d10’s of poison damage. Ingested, injected, or applied topically. Fortitude save for half damage.

Arcana skill and serious study of mystical portals and planar travel.

Anchored

Cannot be dimensionally moved against their will while conscious. All portals, spells, or related effects simply fail. If the effect would move an entire area the gatecrasher is in, the entire effect fails.

Warpsense

With a full minute of study, determine the destination of any portal within 60 feet, gaining a clear mental image of the other side. Also sense if anything has dimensionally moved to or from a location within the last 48 hours — both origin and destination, and the destination plane if planar.

Portals

Once per full rest, create a 6’ diameter glowing magic portal at the current location after 1 full minute of uninterrupted effort. Maximum 3 portals at a time, all at least 1 mile apart. Connect any two portals as a full round action to allow travel. A thin sheen of translucent oily light blocks each, allowing onlookers to see the other side. Only creatures and carried objects of suitable dimension can pass; environments do not bleed over. Any dispel magic effect used for that purpose destroys the portal automatically.

Stealth, subterfuge, and acrobat skills; the backstab ability; and mentorship of a nightsworn master or a powerful shadowland entity.

Shade Step

Step into dim light or darkness and teleport up to 60 feet to another location with similar lighting as a bonus action. The character must see or have previously seen the target. The first attack made on the same round has advantage. Usable once per minute. Does not work if more than one creature is viewing the character. Can bring one willing passenger if they have their eyes closed or are blinded.

Shade Sight

Darksight with unlimited range. See in any darkness, including magical darkness, as well as a normal person on a clear day with good lighting.

Shadow Puppet

In dim light, detach a shadow and command it up to 100 feet from the body. The shadow is incorporeal and has advantage on stealth. The nightsworn can speak and sense through it as if present. While controlling the shadow, the nightsworn cannot move and is unaware of surroundings. Magical damage destroys the shadow; a new one cannot be created until after an interlude or full rest.

Survived incapacitation by an incorporeal undead creature, helped a ghost resolve its fetters and transcend, and gained the patronage of one or more undead spirits.

Incorporeal

Move through creatures and objects (including walls) as difficult terrain. While using this ability, immune to non-magical damage and cannot attack, cast spells, or interact with objects. Ending a turn inside a physical object deals 1d10 force damage.

Belonging

Unintelligent undead ignore the phantom unless attacked first. Smarter undead are generally neutral and inclined to speak unless they have a personal vendetta.

Medium

Cast seance as a ritual lasting 10 minutes. Psychically taxing — imposes 1 level of exhaustion.

Channel

Voluntarily allow a spirit to remotely possess the body for up to 1 hour, at any range, by prior pact and only if the spirit is willing. The phantom remains aware and can regain control at any time as a reaction. Recharges every full rest. The phantom cannot be possessed against their will.

Ethersight

Look into the border ethereal plane at will and see incorporeal spirits and entities. Also see invisible creatures.

Medicine skill and the opportunity to study with a master of the healing arts.

Doctor

+4 medicine. Provide the benefits of full medical care to patients even while adventuring.

Immunized

Resistant to poison and disease.

Peaceable

When combat begins, gain advantage on all saves, and attacks against the physician suffer disadvantage. Persists as long as the physician takes no violent actions and makes a good-faith attempt to avoid combat.

Restorative

All healing effects used by or on the physician restore an additional GD of health. If a healing effect targets multiple creatures, they all gain this benefit.

Psychically engaged with an oracle or other source of precognition and retained a measure of that otherworldly awareness.

Portent

After each full rest, roll two d20s and record the numbers. Replace any attack, save, or skill check made by a visible creature (including the prophet) with one of these rolls. Must choose before the roll, and only once per turn. Unused rolls are lost at the next full rest, when two new rolls are made.

Visions

Once per full rest, petition the narrator for a vision of a potential future — something important within the next month. Once received, the player may use it to inform decisions, so it is no longer guaranteed. Visions of violence or the character’s potential death tend to take precedence.

Proficiency with tattooing tools and the arcana skill. Ritual techniques transform possessions into tattoos callable at will.

Arsenal

Stylized tattoo of a +2 weapon manifestable at will without an action. Deals a GD of damage; the tattooist is proficient. If the tattooist does not already have extra attack, they are considered to have it when wielding this weapon. Thrown weapons return after impact; missile weapons create their own ammunition.

Trove

Keep PROF+2 pieces of equipment as tattoos, each up to 50 lbs. Magical items must first be attuned. Manifest or convert as a bonus action. In tattoo form items have no weight. Armor or clothing tattoos cannot manifest if already wearing such items, though multiple suits can be stored and swapped as a bonus action. On the character’s death, tattoos vanish and stored items slowly fade into view on the ground within 10 feet of the corpse.

Wards

+1 to defense, soak, and saves from the tattoos. Spellcasters also gain magemail and 1 bonus cantrip.