Phantom Thief (5e Class)
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Phantom Thief
Sneaking in, bypassing the traps, stealing the treasure and escaping before the authorities find out... That's absolutely boring! You're different from a thief that wears all black. You're bold and flamboyant, you're a Phantom Thief! You send your calling card days or even weeks prior. Give those people a heads-up. Let them beef up their security. Then you put on an amazing show, whisking the treasure from under their noses, and escaping before they ever catch you. You have fans who look up and cheer for you, unlike those other thieves who remain hidden and anonymous. Your persona is known far and wide. You are the charismatic gentleman/lady thief!
As a Phantom Thief, you have a Creed. There are many things you steal but there is absolutely one thing you must never steal: a person's life. You are forbidden from attempting to kill a foe, even in self defense. You are an idealists who must never disobey your Creed remaining a gentleman or lady to the very end. And because you're an absolute gentleman/lady at all times, you have impeccable manners, charm and courteousness and the avoidance of physical force or intimidation to steal.
You are must also first send out a calling card before you steal something! You send a notice to the owner of that thing prior to performing the act. This calling card can be of any kind, ranging from a elaborate cryptic note, hand signs, or simply saying it to their face. There is no restriction in when you must send the calling card as long as it is before you do the act.
Creating a Phantom Thief
When creating a Phantom Thief, you should discuss with your DM about how infamous your alternate persona is.
A Phantom Thief rarely goes on adventures. But perhaps your hometown has grown too small for you or you've already robbed it of all valuables. You need bigger treasures, bigger thrills! Or perhaps, you finally found the love of your life. As a master thief, you must steal that person's heart or else you'd be a utter failure as a gentleman! And if going on an adventure is the only way to do it, so be it! But among the numerous reasons to go on adventures, how far are you willing to travel? Are you famous and loved by the masses? Are you finally on the run? Did your secret identity get revealed? Did you have to leave your stolen loot behind? Or maybe you're new to this gentleman business? Does the rest of your party know you're this Phantom Thief?
- Quick Build
You can make a Phantom Thief quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your highest ability score, followed by Dexterity. Second, choose the Noble background.
Class Features
As a Phantom Thief you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per Phantom Thief level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Phantom Thief level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: None
Weapons: Simple weapons, hand crossbows and any weapon with the finesse property
Tools: Thieves' Tools
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
Skills: Choose three from Acrobatics, Deception, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a weapon of your choice with the finesse property or (b) a scimitar
- (a) a shortbow and 20 arrows or (b) a scimitar
- (a) a burgler's pack or (b) a dungeoneer's pack
- thieves' tools, leather armor and a costume
- If you are using starting wealth, you have 4d4 x 10 gp in funds.
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Deadly Expertise |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Masked Phantom, Deadly Expertise | 1d6 |
| 2nd | +2 | Smoke Bomb | 1d6 |
| 3rd | +2 | Appraisal, Phantom Thief Archetype | 1d6 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d8 |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack | 1d8 |
| 6th | +3 | Knight in Shining Armor, Smoke Bomb (2) | 1d8 |
| 7th | +3 | Appraisal (2) | 1d8 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d10 |
| 9th | +4 | Archetype Feature | 1d10 |
| 10th | +4 | Great Escape, Knight in Shining Armor (2), Smoke Bomb (3) | 1d10 |
| 11th | +4 | Appraisal (3) | 1d10 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 2d6 |
| 13th | +5 | Archetype Feature | 2d6 |
| 14th | +5 | Evasion, Knight in Shining Armor (3) | 2d6 |
| 15th | +5 | Find Vitals, Appraisal (4) | 2d6 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 2d8 |
| 17th | +6 | Archetype Feature | 2d8 |
| 18th | +6 | Elusive | 2d8 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 3d6 |
| 20th | +6 | All-Seeing Eye | 3d6 |
Masked Phantom
You have a hidden persona when you're wearing your costume. While you are donning your costume, you have an unarmored AC of 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Charisma modifier. However, while you have this costume on, you are easily recognized as your alternate persona. The time it takes for you to don and doff your costume is up to the DM. You lose all Features granted to the Phantom Thief class while you are not wearing your costume. Also, if you don your costume while in the line of sight of a creature, that creature will know of you are the true identity of this hidden persona of yours.
In the situation you lose your costume or it is destroyed, you can buy a new costume or tailor a new one. The appearance of your new costume does not need to match the old one, as long as it is capable of covering your face such as a paper bag. The costume offers no benefits to anyone else who wears it except for you.
Deadly Expertise
Unlike the ordinary thieves, you fight honorably, like a true gentleman and as such, you are also trained in fighting in this style. Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you were using a melee finesse weapon. The amount of extra damage increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Deadly Expertise column of the Phantom Thief table.
Smoke Bomb
Need a grand entrance or great escape? Look no further than the infamous Smoke bomb! Starting at 2nd level, you reveive two smoke bombs. As a Bonus Action, you can use a Smoke Bomb at the location you are standing to create a 5-foot-radius of smoke centered on where you are standing. The smoke spreads around corners and it's area is heavily obscured. It lasts until the start of the your next turn or until a wind of moderate or greater speed disperses it. It is up to the DM to determine whether the wind is strong enough.
During a short rest, you can can spend a minute and 3gp to craft one Smoke Bomb, and they are considered to weigh 0 lb in your inventory. You can only have a number of Smoke Bombs equal to your Charisma modifier + 1 (minimum 1) at a time. These Smoke Bombs can only be used by you and cannot be sold.
Starting at 6th level, you have managed to increase the potency of your smoke bombs, and now they create a 10-foot-radius of smoke centered at the location it was activated.
Starting at 10th level, you have managed to add sleeping gas into your smoke bombs. Any creature that starts their turn, or enters the area of the smoke bomb must succeed a Constitution Saving Throw with a DC of 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + Charisma Modifier. On a failed save, they fall unconscious for 1d4 turns. The sleeper wakes up if they take damage or someone uses an action to shake or slap the sleeper awake. When making a Smoke Bomb, you must spend an additional 5gp to add sleeping gas to it. Creatures that hold their breath before entering the smoke are unaffected.
Appraisal
You have trained your eyes to see the true value of objects and people with your eyes. Starting at 3rd level, you can use an action to target a creature or object to appraise them.
If you appraise a creature, you know the creature type, senses, vulnerabilities, damage resistances, and damage immunities of that creature. If you appraise an object, you know the physical properties of that object (i.e. material) as well as whether or not that object is magical. You can only appraise one creature or object at a time. If you appraise a creature or object within one round of appraising a different creature or object, you can use a bonus action to appraise the new creature or object instead. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier + 1 (minimum 1). When you finish a short or long rest, you regain all expended uses.
Starting at the 7th level, if you appraise a creature, you also know the creatures' current hit points and armor class.
Starting at the 11th level, while appraising a creature, you know the target's original form if the target creature takes on a different form (i.e transformed by magic or the Druid’s Wild Shape feature).
Starting at the 15th level, if you have appraised a creature or object during your turn, you gain 20 feet of Truesight until the start of your next turn.
Phantom Thief Archtype
At the 3rd level, you have finally figured out what it you are going to steal and you have dedicated yourself to stealing those things in absolute style. Choose either the Arsene, Kaitou or Carmen archetype, all of which are described at the end of the class description.
Ability Score Increase
When you reach the 4th level, and again at the 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th levels, 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 the 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Knight in Shining Armor
A true gentleman/lady would not allow an ally to get hurt. Starting at the 6th level, when an ally would be hit by a melee attack within 10 feet of you, you can use your reaction to detonate a smoke bomb on that ally's current location. If the attacking creature relies on sight to attack, the melee attack on your ally and opportnity attacks targeting you are made with disadvantage. Regardless if you detonated a smoke bomb or not, you then move within reach of your ally and you swiftly move your ally to an open space at or adjactent to your position before using this feature.
Starting at 10th level, you no longer provoke opportunity attacks while using this feature.
Great Escape
Starting at 10th level, you are getting better at escaping and saving your damsel in distress. Your movement speed increases by 10 feet.
Evasion
You are starting to get better at being a thief while still being a gentleman/lady. Starting at the 14th 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.
Find Vitals
Though training and practice, your eyes became more accustomed to seeing the best way to attack someone. Starting at the 15th level, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19-20.
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.
All-Seeing Eye
You have used Appraisal enough that you can now use it forever. Starting at 20th level, you can use Appraisal as many times as you want without taking a short or long rest. Additionally, you gain the True Value, Inquistor, and Arcane Eye features if you didn't have them already.
Arsène
You are more interested in objects, and you hone your skill to steal objects of all kind.
- True Value
Starting at the 3rd level, you have honed your eyes to become more knowledgeable about objects, from ordinary objects to relics of historical significance. When you appraise an object, you now know the value of the object in gold pieces as well as any magical abilities or curses the object has. In addition, you are proficient in the Investigation skill.
- Escape
Starting at 3rd level, you can figure out how anything works by looking at it hard enough. After appraising an object, you may add double your proficiency bonus to skill checks made to discover secrets, disarm traps, or pick locks on the object.
- Aport
Starting at 9th level, you have become very skilled at stealing items, no matter what kind of traps try to prevent you from getting to them. If you are within 30 feet of an object that you can see, you can use an action to magically teleport it to your hand. The object that you teleport can only have a maximum weight of 10 pounds and cannot be held by a creature. Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until your take a short or long rest.
- Reconfigure
Starting at 13th level, you have have tinkered with all sorts of items. While you are not in combat, you can spend one hour and one use of the Appraisal feature to transfer the the magical properties or curses of an item to another item. You must succeed on a Sleight of Hand skill check with a DC of 5 times the number of existing properties on the new item in order to use this feature. If you fail, both items burst into flames and the magical properties and curses of both items are lost. If a magical item has a curse, you must transfer the curse in addition to any magical properties that you would transfer from that item. If you transfer a property from a magical item that required attunement, the new item receives the attunement restrictions of the previous item.
- Become One
Starting at 17th level, your obsession with items have allowed you to steal their magical properties of items for yourself. You can use an action to transfer one feature or curse of a magical item to yourself as a racial trait. As these magical properties are originally designed for items, your DM may re-word them as if they were a trait (i.e. A +1 Weapon would instead give a bonus to attack and damage rolls made with unarmed strikes). You can transfer magical properties you've absorbed into another item using the Reconfigure feature. However, if you fail the skill check you take 10d10 force damage and the magical property and the item you were attempting to transfer it to is lost. You can only take features and curses from magical items that you are capable of attuning to, and you can only have one racial trait that was a feature or curse from a magical item at a time.
Kaitou
You are more interested in people and creatures, and you hone your skills to steal their identities and skills.
- Inquisitor
You watch people very carefully, and thus you know what makes them tick. When you appraise a creature, you now know the target creature's Challenge Rating, condition immunities, movement speed, standard actions, languages, proficiencies, and traits. In addition, you are proficient in the Insight skill.
- Stolen Identity
Starting at the 3rd level, after appraising a creature with the same size and creature type as you, you know everything you need to know to produce a perfect disguise in their image. After one minute, you can magically create a disguise that changes your appearance and voice to match that creature. You are indiscernible to the casual observer but if a wary creature suspects something is amiss, you have advantage on any Charisma(Deception) checks you make to avoid detection. However, your ability scores, proficiencies, Hit Points, and AC remain the same as before you entered the disguise and you cannot use any class features, racial traits, or feats while you are in this disguise. If you take piercing or slashing damage, the disguise is ripped and you appear in your costume. Alternatively, you can use a free action to tear off your disguise, appearing in your costume instead.
- Mimic
Starting at the 9th level, you have learned how to steal other creatures' traits that you have seen with Appraisal. While you are not in combat, you can choose up to two traits from any creature that you have appraised within 24 hours and receive them as racial traits. If you choose to receive an additional trait after the first two, you must replace one of those two traits with the new one. Due to how powerful certain creature traits are, your DM may prevent certain traits from being taken. This does not include Limited Usage traits such as a Breath Weapon, Lair Actions, Legendary Actions, or Legendary Resistance. You cannot use this to steal class features, racial traits, or background features of Player Characters.
- Perfect Copy
Starting at 13th level, after being with your allies for so long, you have learned how to perfectly mimic them and steal their identity. While you are not in combat, you can magically create a disguise that changes your appearance and voice to match one of your allies. You are completely indistinguishable from him/her and gain all racial traits, background features, and class features of that ally that they have at your Phantom Thief level, including their spellcasting and their current known/prepared spell list (excluding Ability Score Increases). While you are disguised as your ally, you cannot use any other features except those granted by the ally's class, race and background that you are copying. However, you are still using your own ability scores, proficiencies, and items. Additionally, you are a perfect copy of your ally until your Hit Points reach 0 or you tear off the disguise as a free action, appearing in your costume.
- Stolen Action
Starting at the 17th level, while you are not in combat, you can choose up to two actions from any creature that you have appraised within 24 hours and use them as Phantom Thief class features. You use the statistics of the action that you steal, regardless of what is needed for the action normally. For example, you can use the Goblin's Scimitar action even if you do not have a scimitar and you don’t use your ability score modifier to calculate the attack roll. However, you cannot use any spellcasting, multiattacks, Lair Actions, or Legendary Actions with this feature. If you choose to receive an additional action after the first two, you must replace one of those two actions with the new one.
Carmen
You are more interested in the non-tangible, you hone your skills to steal spells and knowledge.
- Arcane Eye
You've seen spells in action all your life, and you learned how to measure the magical capabilities of others. When you appraise a creature, you now know the target creature's known spells, cantrips, innate spellcasting traits, prepared rituals, and Psionics. In addition, you are proficient in the Arcana skill.
- Spell Thief
Starting at the 3rd level, you begin to tap into your magical potential. After appraising a creature that is capable of casting a cantrip, you are capable of learning that cantrip yourself. While you are not in combat, you can choose one cantrip from any creature that you have appraised within an hour of appraising them and receive that cantrip as a Phantom Thief class cantrip. Charisma is your spellcasting modifier for these cantrips, and you can use an article of clothing from your Phantom Thief costume as a spellcasting focus, such as a glove. You can only have access to three cantrips that you have obtained this way. If you choose to receive an additional cantrip after the first three, you must replace one of those three cantrips with the new one. You lose access to cantrips that you have replaced with a different one.
- Apprentice
Starting at 9th level, after appraising a creature that is capable of casting spells, you are capable of learning those spells yourself. While you are not in combat, you can choose one spell from any creature that you have appraised within an hour of appraising them and receive that spell as Phantom Thief class spell.
Charisma is your spellcasting modifier for spells that you cast, and you can use an article of clothing from your Phantom Thief costume as a spellcasting focus, such as a glove.
The table below 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. You prepare the list of Phantom Thief spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the spells that you have received from this feature. When you do so, choose a number of Phantom Thief spells equal to your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
| — Spell Slots per Spell Level — | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | ||||
| 9th | 4 | 3 | 2 | - | - | ||||
| 10th | 4 | 3 | 2 | - | - | ||||
| 11th | 4 | 3 | 3 | - | - | ||||
| 12th | 4 | 3 | 3 | - | - | ||||
| 13th | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | ||||
| 14th | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | ||||
| 15th | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | ||||
| 16th | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | ||||
| 17th | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | ||||
| 18th | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | ||||
| 19th | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ||||
| 20th | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ||||
- Magic Siphoning
Starting at 13th level, if you have appraised a creature that is capable of casting spells within the last minute and that creature hasn't fallen unconscious or has died, you can use a bonus action to siphon magical energy from them. Until the start of your next turn, the next spell that you cast doesn't require the use of a spell slot as long as the appraised creature has a spell that it can still cast that is the same level as the spell you are about to cast. You must still use the required amount of spell slots to cast spells obtained from the Magic Trick feature.
- Magic Trick
Starting at 17th level, if you have appraised a creature that is capable of casting spells within the last minute and that creature hasn't fallen unconscious or has died, you can use an action to cast a spell that they are capable of casting as if you knew that spell. Charisma is you spellcasting modifier for this spell. You still must have the required amount of spell slots to cast the spell. If that spell is a 6th level spell or higher and you have 5 or more spell slots remaining, you can use all of your remaining spell slots instead. After using this feature, you cannot use it again until you have finished a short or long rest.
Multiclassing
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Phantom Thief class, you must meet these prerequisites: Dexterity 13 and Charisma 13
Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Phantom Thief class, you gain the following proficiencies: Performance , thieves' tools
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