Reflectionist (5e Class)
Reflectionist
You glance at the pendant around your wrist. A year. It's been a year since you last saw her. Your gaze tears to the right as you see as ally become the target of a vile blast of lightning coursing through the enemies finger tips. "No,... not again! Never again!" Your vision blurs as you appear directly in front of the blast within a split of a second. Your charm dings as you hold it outward, and with it a ward opens up before you, engulfing the lightning. The wizard looks baffled, too bad. If only he were diligent enough to notice the portal that opened up... right.. behind.. his... head. *crack!* The wizard drops to the ground heavily as the lightning he cast turned traitorous upon his anatomy. You saved someone, once again.
What this class does
The purpose of this class is simple: to defend and the reflect. Your magic comes from your charms or pendants. These are arcane focuses for your ability to use defensive spells.
Creating a Reflectionist
What is your characters reason to protect?
- Quick Build
You can make a Reflectionist quickly by following these suggestions. First, Constitution should be your highest ability score, followed by Dexterity. Second, choose the Wanderer background. Third, choose a design or style of pendant. For example, the story above features a bracelet, but it could be any accessory. When using this pendant, it is your choice what visible effect takes place: a glyph could appear, or a translucent barrier rise from the ground, or maybe the wind itself rages past your hand as you push the razor sharp blade aside with ease. Use your imagination.
Class Features
As a Reflectionist you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per Reflectionist level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution modifier per Reflectionist level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: Light armour or robes.
Weapons: Simple weapons
Tools: Herbalism Kit
Saving Throws: Intelligence
Skills: Knowledge(Int), Listen(Wis), Sense Motive(Wis), Spot(Wis), Swim(Str), Use Magic Device(Cha)
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) Dagger or (b) Short Sword
- (a) Dungeoneers Pack or (b) Explorers Pack
- Herbalism Kit
- A Pendant of your Design (indestructible so long as you do not lose faith in the one who gifted it to you.)
Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features |
---|---|---|
1st | +2 | Bonus HP, Parry |
2nd | +2 | Quick Reactions |
3rd | +2 | Blink, Kaijukimbo |
4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement, Self Sacrifice |
5th | +3 | Magical Parry |
6th | +3 | Reflect: Elemental Shift |
7th | +3 | Improved Deflect |
8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement |
9th | +4 | Improved Deflect |
10th | +4 | Improved Deflect, Improved Blink |
11th | +4 | Reflect:Disarm |
12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement |
13th | +5 | Improved Deflect |
14th | +5 | Bonus Feat |
15th | +5 | Reflect:Redirect |
16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement |
17th | +6 | Improved Deflect |
18th | +6 | Bonus Feat, Improved blink, Improved Deflect |
19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement |
20th | +6 | Reflect: Amplification
Note: Any Deflect or Reflect Class Feature uses the constitution modifier. |
Bonus Hp
Starting at 1st level start your day with a magical barrier around you that last for 12 hours. This barrier recharges between every long rest and you can expend a reaction on an allies turn in order to gain 1d6 back. This barrier your reflectionist level + 1/4 your maximum hit points and counts as bonus hit points.
Parry
Any time you are being targeted with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to attack the target back as if making an attack of opportunity. This is done before the attack made against you is completed.
Quick Reactions
You rely on your reactions to be able to respond to multiple foes and attacks. You may choose to not take an action on your turn to gain another reaction. This increases to two extra reactions at 8th level, 3 at 12th, and 4 at 16th.
Blink
In order for you to survive attacks you must be able to evade attacks. This spell you gain at 3rd level enables just that. You know the spell Blink and may use it as a reaction.
Kaijukimbo
Any time you successfully complete a parry attack you may have the target complete a Dex save against you. If they fail they are stunned until their next turn.
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.
Self Sacrifice
As a reaction you may swap places with any ally. Choose one ally within 60ft, that you can see, and is being attacked. You swap places with your ally, you may use this before the DM declares the attack as a hit or miss, and the attack is rolled against your AC. You may use your parry feature after self sacrifice if you still have reactions left.
Once per day whenever you are targeted with a spell you may use your reaction to parry the spell back at the attacker. This increases to twice at 8th level, 3 at 12th, and 4 at 16th.
Magical Parry
Once per long rest any time you are being targeted with a spell attack, you can use your reaction to deflect the spell back as if making an attack of opportunity. This is done before the attack made against you is completed. You gain additional uses of this feature: two times at 8th level, 3 at 12th, and 4 at 16th.
==
- Improved Blink
10th Level: Blink any direction, line-of-sight, 20 ft. You may blink twice in a row per use while in combat if, and only if, purposes for using deflect. You may use Deflect after each blink. 18th Level: Blink any direction, line-of-sight, 30 ft. You may blink thrice in a row per use while in combat if, and only if, purposed for using deflect. You may use Deflect after each blink.
- Reflect~ Magic Barrier
Use your pendant to call a ward to block an incoming magic attack. You will mitigate 1d6 magic damage, however you must release that damage back to the attacker immediately when absorbed. If this ability is attempted on a physical attack, it will fail.
- Reflect~ Physic Barrier
Use your pendant to call a ward to block an incoming physical attack. You will mitigate 1d6 physical damage, however you must release that damage back to the attacker immediately when absorbed. If this ability is attempted on a magical attack, it will fail.
- Improved Reflect~ Physic and Magic Barrier
This applies to both Physic and Magic Barrier. 5th Level: Mitigate and Reflect 1d10 damage. 9th Level: Mitigate and Reflect 1d20 damage. 13th Level: Mitigate and Reflect 3d10 damage. 17th Level: Mitigate and Reflect 2d20 damage.
- Reflect~ Elemental Shift
When taking Elemental magic damage, half the amount of damage taken. The half of the damage that is absorbed by this Reflect may be applied back onto the attacker as the element (water, necrotic, fire, etc. Not damage types such as slash, bludgeon, etc.) of choice by the user.
- Reflect~ Disarm
When blocking a physical attack, half the amount of damage taken. One fourth of the total damage from the attack may be applied to the attacker. You may roll for a chance to disarm the opponent attacking.
- Reflect~ Redirect
Open a portal that absorbs all damage taken. The portal is personalized, meaning it can not be used to prevent AOE damage to multiple players, it can only protect yourself and anyone behind you (pro tip: have players line up behind you if the damage comes in a straight line from its source). Redirect that damage by opening a portal at any point around you within 50 ft. (Ex. Enemy Mage goes to use fireball, so you open a portal in front of you, absorb the spell, and release it by opening a portal behind the enemies head.). This defense can only be used twice. In order to regain these uses, you must take a short rest.
- Reflect~ Amplify
Absorb all damage from all players within 50 ft for 1d4 turns. Once finished absorbing damage, you may delay releasing this damage and amplify it. In this case, amplification means for every turn you delay releasing the attack, you may increase the damage by 1d6 damage. Once released, you may designate and distribute the damage stored amongst any number of enemies within line of sight. Once combat ends, the damage absorbed and stored is released and not used. It may not be carried into the next fight. This defense may be used only one time per long rest.
Augments to this Class
The class provided above is, as with all classes, only a blueprint. Although there is only one charm/pendant/arcane focus shown and fleshed out, there could be a plethora more types of characters off of this idea. This one focuses heavily on off tanking, where you take damage by getting in the way, but not by taking aggro or gaining the enemies attention on purpose. Equally, you could make a character that can only use magic by finding magical charms, the details of which should be consulted with the DM about what effects they may hold.
No matter what, use your imagination and happy adventuring!
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