Scribe (5e Class)

This page is of questionable balance. Reason: Core feature conflicts with the magic item rules in the DMG. The DM decides on the cost, availability, and creation process of creating a magic scroll. The recommended values of a 1st level spell scroll are a fraction of the cost presented below. Even if the campaign requires this class's method of making scrolls, the costs are beyond the means of low-level PCs, giving the class not much to do for a long time. Scribe Tracks seems to be describing occupation: anyone attempt these tasks anyway, using a downtime activity. Overall you shouldn't have to pay to use class features and the class as a whole could use some significant work to make the class more usable.


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This page was marked as abandoned on 01:06, 6 March 2020 (MST) because: Needsbalance issues have not been addressed in over 2 years and it does not look like this class's issues will be fixed any time soon. (discuss)

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Scribe

Scribes come from all walks of life. Some dress in fine silks and write beautiful calligraphy. Others sit at dusty public stalls writing correspondence for the illiterate poor. But, they all write for a living. In addition to their skill with the quill, scribes are adept at making writing supplies, crafting magic scrolls, and even casting a spell or two.

Creating a Scribe


Class Features

As a Scribe you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d6 per Scribe level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + Constitution modifier per Scribe level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: none
Weapons: Quarterstaff or dagger
Tools: Calligrapher's Supplies
Saving Throws: Intelligence, Charisma
Skills: Arcana, Religion, History, Medicine

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

  • (a) Quarterstaff or (b) Dagger
  • Calligrapher's Supplies
  • Scholar's Pack

Table: The Scribe

LevelProficiency
Bonus
Features—Spell Slots per Spell Level—
1st2nd3rd4th5th
1st+2Make Black Ink
2nd+2Make Common Paper / Make Colored Ink / Language2
3rd+2Make Waterproof Ink3
4th+2Ability Score Improvement, Make Fine Paper3
5th+3Make Invisible Ink42
6th+3Make Uncommon Paper / Make Reagent / Language42
7th+3Make Magic Ink43
8th+3Ability Score Improvement, Make 1st Level Scrolls43
9th+4-432
10th+4Language432
11th+4Make 2nd Level Scrolls433
12th+4Ability Score Improvement433
13th+5-4331
14th+5Make 3rd Level Scrolls / Language4331
15th+5-4332
16th+5Ability Score Improvement4332
17th+6Make 4th Level Scrolls43331
18th+6Language43331
19th+6Ability Score Improvement43332
20th+6Make 5th Level Scrolls43332

Spells

Cantrips: Light, Mage Hand, Mending, Message

1st Level: Comprehend Languages, Detect Magic, Identify, Illusory Script

2nd Level: Alarm, Find Familiar, Tenser's Floating Disk, Unseen Servant

3rd Level: Knock, Non-detection, Locate Object, Arcane Lock

4th Level: Arcane Eye, Greater Invisibility, Leomund's Secret Chest, Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum

5th Level: Animate Objects, Legend Lore, Scrying, Telekinesis

Scrolls

To make a scroll, a scribe must craft sufficient uncommon paper and magic ink, purchase additional spell components to add to the ink (equal to the level of the scroll x 1,000gp) and make a successful DC check equal to 15 + the level of the scroll (Proficiency Bonus and Intelligence bonus apply). If the roll proves unsuccessful, the 1,000gp of spell components is still lost.

1st Level: Disguise Self, Fog Cloud, Grease, Silent Image

2nd Level: Continual Flame, Darkness, Invisibility, Darkvision

3rd Level: Counterspell, Dispel Magic, Remove Curse, Levitate

4th Level: Arcane Eye, Greater Invisibility, Leomund’s Secret Chest, Mordenkainen’s Private Sanctum

5th Level: Animate Objects, Legend Lore, Scrying, Telekinesis

Ability Score and Language Increase

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of you 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.

Also, because of your constant exposure to other languages, you become fluent in a new language every 4 levels starting with 2nd level.

Scribe Tracks

Scribes are needed at all levels of society - from the royal calligrapher to the shady guy making fake passports over a beer in the back of a seedy tavern. The four scribe tracks reflect this diversity. Pick a track and add your Proficiency Bonus to the appropriate Ability Score Bonus when rolling for results from that track. The DM will assign a DC based on the difficulty of the job:

5 = very easy, 10 = easy, 15 = moderate, 20 = hard, 25 = very hard, 30 = nearly impossible

Scribe Tracks

Court Scribe: Calligraphy (Dex), Detect Forgery (Wis), Heraldry (Int), Genealogy (Int)

Public Scribe: Copy (Dex), Transcribe (Wis), Recite (Chr), Translate (Int)

Religious Scribe: Calligraphy (Dex), Copy (Dex), Illumination (Dex), Book Binding (Wis)

Rogue Scribe: Forge Document (Dex), Detect Forgery (Wis), Encrypt (Int), Decode (Wis)

Description of Scribe Abilities

Calligraphy - You are skilled at the art of writing beautiful letters. (Fine Paper, Waterproof Ink)

Detect Forgery - Your keen eye can spot a fake official document. (Reagent)

Heraldry - You are well versed in the heraldic symbolism of the nobility.

Genealogy - You have extensive knowledge of the family history of the noble houses.

Copy - You can make a legible, accurate, fast copy of a document. (Common Paper, Black Ink)

Transcribe - You are able to create a document from what another person is saying. (Common Paper, Black Ink)

Recite - You are skilled at reading documents to the illiterate.

Translate - Your extensive knowledge of language allows you to attempt to translate languages you are not fluent in.

Illumination - Your artistry turns a dull page of religious text into a colorful work of art. (Colored Ink, Fine Paper)

Book Binding - You are skilled at the art of codex making.

Forgery - You can make a fake document look like it came from the Royal Palace. (Fine Paper, Waterproof Ink)

Encrypt - You have become adept at conveying information in documents that remains hidden to those who do not know how to decipher it. (Common Paper, Invisible Ink)

Decode - You are able to spot and decipher encrypted messages. (Reagent)


Back to Main Page 5e Homebrew Classes

gollark: It's Graphics Interchange Format, not Jraphics Interchange Format.
gollark: Because GIFs are an evil format.
gollark: I wonder how good support for APNGs is.
gollark: 3 doesn't exist? Are we using some sort of weirdly shifted base 9?
gollark: This may be a novel field of research in need of investigation.
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