Con Artist (5e Class)
Con Artist
Many in this world make their way through violence and conquest, many others make their living through good honest work, you, on the other hand, you work with your words, a lawyer of the court of public opinion. You use your sharp tongue and quick wit to make your way in the world, selling worthless things for fortunes, gaining followers through your charismatic flair, or deceiving your way into valuable information.
Creating a Con Artist
Despite being physically frail, your talent at bluffing and convincing can help your adventuring company through many a violent encounter with nary a scratch on their backs. Your talent with people extends further, swaying people towards giving you information, resources, or even assistance in battle. A Con Artist may be working with their adventuring company for personal gain, as a part of some long con, or perhaps, they're a swindler with a heart of gold, putting their silver tongue and addictive personality to good use.
- Quick Build
You can make a Con Artist quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your highest ability score, followed by Wisdom. Second, choose the Charlatan background.
Class Features
As a Con Artist you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d6 per Con Artist level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + Constitution modifier per Con Artist level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: None
Weapons: None
Tools: Forgery Kit, Disguise Kit
Saving Throws: Charisma and Wisdom
Skills: Choose four from Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Performance. Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, History, and Religion
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a Diplomat's Pack or (b) an Entertainer's Pack
- (a) a Dice Set or (b) a Playing Card Set
- a Forgery Kit
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Expertise Striking Looks |
| 2nd | +2 | Silver Tongue |
| 3rd | +2 | Con Artist Archetype |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 5th | +3 | Silver Tongue Feature |
| 6th | +3 | Expertise |
| 7th | +3 | Distraction |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 9th | +4 | Archetype Feature |
| 10th | +4 | — |
| 11th | +4 | Psychologist |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 13th | +5 | Archetype Feature |
| 14th | +5 | Silver Tongue Feature |
| 15th | +5 | Archetype Feature |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 17th | +6 | Distraction Feature |
| 18th | +6 | Archetype Feature |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 20th | +6 | Silver Tongue Feature |
Expertise
At 1st 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 6th level, you can choose two more of your proficiencies to gain this benefit.
Striking Looks
Your appearance is stunning, naturally or with some artificial means, and your social skills are unmatched. At 1st level You are breathtakingly beautiful or handsome and you gain a +2 flat bonus to all Deception and Persuasion rolls. You also gain the same flat bonus to any Performance roll as long as you are visible to your crowd.
Silver Tongue
At 2nd level, You develop your conversational skill to better deceive others. When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can replace one attack with an attempt to deceive one humanoid you can see within 30 feet of you that can see and hear you. Make a Charisma (Deception) check contested by the target’s Wisdom (Insight) check. If your check succeeds: Any attack the targeted humanoid makes against you is made with disadvantage. Any attack or ability check you make against the targeted humanoid is made with advantage Both benefits last until the end of your next turn or until you use this ability on a different target. If your check fails, the target can’t be deceived by you in this way for 1 hour.
At 5th level, You have honed this ability and are able to use it outside of combat. If your check passes, you also have the ability to make any humanoid who is neither hostile nor friendly towards you now be considered friendly. Along with this, if your check fails, the target can't be deceived by you in this way for 1 minute, rather than 1 hour.
At 14th level, Your quick wit and sharp tongue have granted you the ability to get out of trouble in a pinch. If your check passes, you also have the ability to shift the target's opinion of you as follows: A hostile target ceases being Hostile, yet would not be considered Friendly. A target who is neither Hostile nor Friendly becomes Friendly with you. A target who is Friendly with you is now Charmed. These effects last until you use this ability on a different target. If your check fails, the target has advantage on its Wisdom (Insight) roll to contest this for 1 hour.
At 20th level, Your soothing words have incredible power, getting you out of even the most difficult situations. If your check passes, you have the ability to shift the target's opinion of you as follows: A Hostile target becomes friendly A target who is neither Friendly nor Hostile becomes Charmed A target who is Friendly is Charmed A target who has gone into a Rage ceases their Rage immediately and becomes Hostile to you. These effects last for as long as the target remains within 30 feet of you, and can be used on many targets at a time. If your check fails, the target has advantage on its Wisdom (Insight) roll to contest this for 1 minute, rather than 1 hour.
Con Artist Archetype
Every Con Artist has an angle they use in preference to other schemes. At 3rd level you commit yourself to one archetype, either as a Mentalist, Spy, or Politician. Your favored scam grants you features at 3rd level and again at 9th, 13th, 15th, and 18th level.
Ability Score Increase
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.
Distraction
At 7th level, you can try to distract one humanoid you can see who can see and hear you. Make a Charisma (Performance/Deception/Persuasion) check contested by the humanoid’s Wisdom (Insight) check. If your check succeeds, you grab the humanoid’s attention enough that it makes Wisdom (Perception) and Intelligence (Investigation) checks, and all attacks not made against you with disadvantage until you stop performing.
At 17th level, your ability to draw attention to yourself increases dramatically. If your check succeeds, you grab the humanoid’s attention enough that it all ability checks are made with disadvantage and the humanoid cannot attack anyone other than you, until you stop performing.
Psychologist
At 11th level, you tear people apart from inside the mind You gain the following benefits: Whenever you make a Wisdom (Medicine) check to diagnose a mental illness or madness, you are considered proficient in the Medicine skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus. You have advantage on Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) checks to discern illusions. If you spend at least 10 minutes observing or interacting with a creature with which you share a language, you have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) and Charisma (Persuasion) checks made towards them
Mentalist
A mentalist is extremely well versed in human nature, and is adept at predicting people, and how they think. Fake psychics, Fortune tellers, Ghost Whisperers and even some Personal Investigators fall under this category.
- Observant
At 3rd level you are quick to notice details of your environment, you gain the following benefits: If you can see a creature’s mouth while it is speaking a language you understand, you can interpret what it’s saying by reading its lips. Being in a lightly obscured area doesn’t impose disadvantage on your Wisdom (Perception) checks if you can both see and hear.
- Cold Read
At 9th level, you have mastered the art of reading people, and have honed it to an art. You can spend 10 minutes talking to someone. Doing so gives you information about their -Class Levels and subclass -Background -Alignment -Names of Close Family Members You can press further, and learn any one specific piece of information that the target knows and is not actively hiding. Make a Charisma (Deception/Persuasion) check contested by the target’s Wisdom (Insight) check. This check is made with disadvantage if the target is Hostile or Opposed to you, and is made with advantage if the target is Friendly with you. If your check succeeds, you get the piece of information, if it fails, the target knows you are cold reading them.
At 15th level, you have mastered the art of reading people, and have honed it to an art. You can spend 10 minutes talking to someone, giving you the general info as usual with Cold Read. You can press further, and learn any specific information the target knows. Make a Charisma (Deception/Persuasion) check contested by the target’s Wisdom (Insight) check. This check is made with advantage if the target is indifferent, friendly, or charmed, if the target is enraged, hostile, or opposed, the check is made regularly. If your check succeeds, you get the information, if it fails, the target knows you are cold reading them.
- Empathy
At 13th level you possess keen insight into how other people think and feel. You gain the following benefits: Use your Wisdom (Insight) modifier plus your Proficiency Bonus instead of your dexterity modifier for initiative You can use your action to try to get uncanny insight about one humanoid you can see within 30 feet of you. Make a Wisdom (Insight) check contested by the target's Charisma (Deception) check. If your check succeeds, you have advantage on attack rolls and ability checks against the target until the end of your next turn.
- Precognition
At 18th level your knowledge of human tendencies is so complete that you can easily predict your enemies next moves, you gain the following benefits: You gain a +5 bonus to initiative You also gain the following abilities, which are each used as actions Predict Melee Attack: - You attempt to predict the next attack that will be launched against you. Your armor class is 3 points higher for the purposes of defending against melee attacks until your next turn, or until a melee attack is attempted, whichever happens first Predict Ranged Attack: - You attempt to predict the next attack that will be launched against you. Your armor class is 3 points higher for the purposes of defending against ranged attacks until your next turn, or until a ranged attack is attempted, whichever happens first Predict Next Move: - You attempt to deduce the next move of a creature. Roll a Wisdom (Insight) check with a DC of the creature’s Intelligence Score. On a success you learn what they currently plan on doing on their next turn, or, outside of combat, what they next plan to do in general.
Spy
A deceptive yet martially adept con artist. Skilled at the art of espionage and self defense, and talented at getting information yet remaining unnoticed.
- Self Defense
At 3rd level you gain the ability to defend yourself in combat Unarmored Defense: - When wearing no armor, your armor class is 10+Dex+Wis Martial Arts: - You gain proficiency in unarmed combat - You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike - When you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike on Your Turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a Bonus Action.
- Impersonation
At 9th level you have honed your ability to shape your personality and to read the personalities of others. You gain the following benefits: - If you spend 1 hour observing a creature, you can then spend 8 hours crafting a disguise you can quickly don to mimic that creature. - Making the disguise requires a disguise kit. You must make checks as normal to disguise yourself, but you can assume the disguise as an action.
At 18th level you have honed your ability to shape your personality and to read the personalities of others, along with being skilled at mimicry and dramatics. You gain the following benefits, along with those usually conferred from impersonation: - You can mimic the speech of another person or the sounds made by other creatures. You must have heard the person speaking, or heard the creature make the sound, for at least 1 minute. - A successful Wisdom (Insight) check contested by your Charisma (Deception) check allows a listener to determine that the effect is faked.
- City Slicker
At 13th level, your knowledge of the cityscape grants you the following advantages in urban environments. - When you make a Dexterity (Stealth) check to hide outdoors while in a settlement, you are considered to have proficiency in the Stealth skill. If you are already have proficiency in the Stealth skill, you add twice your proficiency bonus instead of your normal proficiency bonus. - You can move your normal speed through difficult terrain caused by staircases, roofs, market stalls and other urban obstructions. - When at a settlement, you always know the direction and distance to the next nearest settlement. - You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) and Intelligence (Investigation) checks made to find shops, people, and political power houses. - By picking up the people’s subtle talk of rumors, guilds, and unusual places, if you’ve been in a town more than 20 mins you can identify the bad sections of town, the prevalent guilds and guild rivalries, and messenger services if any. - You also have a passive perception of +4 to notice pickpockets, secret passages, secret handoffs, and dirty dealings.
- Sneak Attack
Beginning at 15th level, you know how to strike subtly and exploit a foe's distraction. Once per turn, you can deal an extra 2d6 damage to one creature you hit with an Attack if you have advantage on the Attack roll. 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.
Politician
Extremely charming individuals who excell and convincing others to support them, and leading their supporters to victory, even if they aren't actually doing much work.
- Diplomacy
At 3rd level, you master the arts of diplomacy. If you spend 1 minute talking to someone who can understand what you say, you can make a Charisma (Persuasion) check contested by the creature’s Wisdom (Insight) check. If the creature is Enraged, Hostile, or Opposed to you, your check automatically fails. If your check succeeds, the target is charmed by you as long as it remains within 60 feet of you and for 1 minute thereafter.
- Blameless
At 9th level you have mastered the art of shifting blame off of yourself, and often onto other people.You have advantage on Charisma (Deception) checks to convince someone of your innocence. If your check passes, you can roll a Charisma (Deception) check contested by a Charisma (Persuasion) check to shift the blame to another creature of your choosing.
- Commanding Voice
Beginning at 13th level when a friendly creature makes a melee attack against a creature that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to grant advantage on the attack roll. Whenever you make a Charisma (Persuasion) check to motivate a crowd or inspire troops, you have advantage on the roll. Count your Charisma score as being 4 higher for the purposes of calculating the maximum loyalty score of followers.
- Leadership
At 15th level you can spend 10 minutes inspiring your companions, shoring up their resolve to fight. When you do so, choose up to six friendly creatures (which can include yourself) within 30 feet of you who can see or hear you and who can understand you. Each creature can gain temporary hit points equal to your level + your Charisma modifier. A creature can't gain temporary hit points from this feature again until it has finished a short or long rest.
- Rabble Rouser
At 18th level you have mastered the ability to get people to follow you. In a settlement of village size or larger you can attract a number of commoners equal to 5 times your Charisma modifier who will serve you loyally and even fight for you, at no cost besides basic lifestyle expenses. You may use a bonus action on each of your turns to command the commoners to take one of the following actions in addition to their movement: Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, Help, Hide, Search, or Use an Object. The commoners add your proficiency bonus to their AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls, and your level to their HP.
Multiclassing
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Con Artist class, you must meet these prerequisites: 15 Charisma and proficiency in Persuasion.
Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Con Artist class, you gain the following proficiencies: Forgery Kit, Desguise Kit
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