Sibyl (5e Class)

Sibyl

A young elf in strange garb knocks upon the door of a recently widowed woman’s home. His eyes are glassy and distant as he tells the woman not to worry about how she’ll get by, because her husband left a stash of gold underneath the floorboards near the cellar door. The half-elf wanders away absent-mindedly, without explaining who he is or how he could know. Hesitantly, the widow goes to check, and lo and behold, the gold is exactly where the stranger said it would be.

In a dark and smoky room, the generals and officers wait patiently as an orc convulses on the ground, speaking in tongues. She flails violently on the ground, and occasionally screams a guttural and unnatural scream. This display proves to be too much for some of the younger officers, who leave the room before they faint or become ill. After some time, the orc calms down and sits up. She explains that the incoming army is going to come from the mountaintops, not through the pass as they had anticipated. Without an ounce of doubt, the generals begin to discuss their change of tactics.

A halfling woman lay in bed, unable to sleep. Information is racing through her head. There was a dragonborn she saw last week who is only now proposing to his lover. They will be married for several year and bear three offspring. The stylish man with the scarf she said hello to the other day is currently planning how to murder his youngest daughter, the one born blind. Unless someone intervenes, he will be successful, but will be murdered by a mob. There are six murders currently happening nearby. There are nine births underway – all without complication, though two children will be switched in the nursery. The halfling presses her hands over her eyes and wonders – when will this all go away? When can I live a normal life?

Sibyls are blessed – or, perhaps, cursed – with knowledge of divine origin.

Creating a Sibyl

There are several questions you may want to ask yourself when creating a sibyl. For example – did they voluntarily seek out becoming a sibyl, or was it thrust upon them without warning? Do their view their ability as a good thing or a bad thing? What does your character do with the information given to them?

Quick Build

You can make a sibyl quickly by following these suggestions. First, Wisdom should be your highest ability score, followed by Dexterity. Second, choose the Hermit background.

Class Features

As a Sibyl you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

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

Proficiencies

Armor: Light and Medium armor
Weapons: Simple weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
Skills: Choose two skills from: Arcana, History, Investigation, Nature, Insight, Medicine, and Religion

Equipment

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

• (a) Dagger or (b) Sickle
• (a) Hide armor or (b) Padded armor and a Shield
• (a) Priest’s pack or (b) Explorer’s Pack
• 75 (or 3d4*10) gold coins

Table: The Sibyl

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Visions	Cantrips Known	Spells Known	—Spell Slots per Spell Level—
						1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
1st	+2	Divine Knowledge, Prophecy	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+2	Spellcasting	2	2	2	2	—	—	—	—
3rd	+2	Fount of Power	3	2	3	3	—	—	—	—
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	3	3	4	3	—	—	—	—
5th	+3	Conduit of Magic	4	3	6	4	2	—	—	—
6th	+3	—	4	3	7	4	2	—	—	—
7th	+3	Fount of Power Feature	5	3	8	4	3	—	—	—
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	5	3	9	4	3	—	—	—
9th	+4	Conduit of Magic Improvement	6	3	10	4	3	2	—	—
10th	+4	—	6	4	10	4	3	2	—	—
11th	+4	Fount of Power Feature	7	4	11	4	3	3	—	—
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	7	4	11	4	3	3	—	—
13th	+5	Conduit of Magic Improvement	8	4	12	4	3	3	1	—
14th	+5	—	8	4	12	4	3	3	1	—
15th	+5	Fount of Power Feature	9	4	13	4	3	3	2	—
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	9	5	13	4	3	3	2	—
17th	+6	Conduit of Magic Improvement	10	5	14	4	3	3	3	1
18th	+6	Fount of Power Feature	10	5	14	4	3	3	3	1
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	11	5	15	4	3	3	3	2
20th	+6	All-Knowing	12	5	15	4	3	3	3	2

Divine Knowledge

A power far greater than you can comprehend has bestowed upon you a wealth of knowledge from beyond this plane of existence. This knowledge manifests itself in the form of Visions. While some Visions you experience are beyond your control, you have trained yourself to be able to control others.

Starting at the 1st level, you have the ability to invoke two Visions at will. The number of times you are able to do this increases as you level up. There are a wide variety of visions accessible to your character from the start, though many have prerequisites which must first be met.

You do not “know” any set number of visions because technically, you do not know any visions at all. You may be familiar with their effects, and you may know how to cause them, but the mechanics of your Visions are unknown even to you, and are totally at the control of some higher power.

Having said that, as you progress, you become more adept at memorizing the specific rituals or incantations needed to invoke a Vision. You can memorize a number of incantations equal to the maximum number of Visions you can use. These visions are guaranteed to work. If you choose to try to invoke a Vision whose ritual you have not memorized, roll a d20 with no modifiers. On a roll of 11 or higher, the Vision works fine. On a roll of 10 or lower, the contents of your Vision are totally incomprehensible, and you effectively waste a Vision. You cannot invoke the same vision more than once per short rest.

Prophecy

The same higher power that allows you to control your Visions also may choose to impart information upon you randomly. When rolling for an ability check or attack roll, upon rolling a natural 20, your character experiences a minor prophecy. If you don’t want to experience the prophecy, you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw of DC 17.

When you are witnessing a prophecy, your character enters a trance-like state for one minute, in which you are incapacitated. During this period, you can ask your DM a yes-or-no question relating to your current situation, which they are obligated to answer truthfully. If you have no question to ask, the DM may choose to impart a random piece of information upon you which may or may not be relevant, but must be true.

You can use this trait a number of times equal to your sibyl level divided by five, rounded up, per long rest.

Spellcasting

Whatever source of your power that gives you your ability to have visions has also given you the ability to channel magical energy through your body.

Cantrips

At the 2nd level, you know two cantrips from the sibyl’s spell list. You can learn an additional number of cantrips as you level up, as is shown in the spell chart.

Spell Slots

At the 2nd level, you know two first level spells from the sibyl’s spell list. As you level up, the number spells you know increases. You have a certain number of spell slots of various levels that will increase as you level up your character. Your spell slots will be fully restored upon completing a long rest.

Spellcasting Ability

You use Wisdom as your spellcasting ability.

Spell save DC = 8 + Wisdom modifier + proficiency bonus

Spell attack modifier = Wisdom modifier + proficiency bonus

Fount of Power

At the 3rd level, you become more in-touch with your source of supernatural information. There are only two powers great enough to create a sibyl – The Grand Chthonic, and Mantis the Bibliotheque. You gain additional boons from your Fount of Power at levels 7, 11, 15, and 18.

Conduit of Magic

Just as you have visions beyond your control, you are prone to magical outburst which are entirely under the control of your Fount of Power. Choose a number between 2 and 19, inclusive. For the sake of convenience, this number will be referred to as your Conduit Number. When making an attack roll, if you roll exactly Conduit Number (without modifiers), a surge of magical energy is thrust through you. Regardless of what your intention was, you now cast a spell from the list below. You re-roll to hit, if necessary. You cannot cast a spell of a higher level than the highest-level spell you know. The spell you cast using this requires no materials and does not use a spell slot.

1st Level

Armor of Agathys, Chromatic Orb, Color Spray, Dissonant Whispers, Hail of Thorns, Ray of Sickness

2nd Level

Blindness/Deafness, Branding Smite, Flaming Sphere, Phantasmal Force, Shatter

3rd Level

Call Lightning, Conjure Barrage, Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Vampiric Touch

4th Level

Banishment, Conjure Minor Elementals, Fire Shield, Guardian of Faith, Phantasmal Killer

5th Level

Banishing Smite, Conjure Elemental, Flame Strike, Insect Plague, Wall of Force

You can use this trait once per long rest. You gain the ability to use this trait an extra time per long rest at levels 9, 13, and 17.

All-Knowing

You have amassed an amount of information that is more or less unheard of, and which, by all means, should be impossible. The concept of knowledge itself flows through your veins. You have an innate sense of what is and is not true, and can use your wealth of knowledge to protect yourself.

All Deception rolls made against you fail, and once per long rest, you can force one Intelligence or Wisdom based roll to automatically succeed. Additionally, you have full immunity to one type of damage of your choice, except for bludgeoning, force, piercing, or slashing. You can change the type of damage you are immune to upon taking a long rest. If you already have a damage immunity, then you instead resist a type of damage of your choice.

Fount of Knowledge

The Grand Chthonic

The Grand Chthonic is the mysterious head of the Chthonic Council, and ancient and shadowy cabal of deities who rule over the domain of the dead. Knowingly or unknowingly, every deity ruling every afterworld is working under the Grand Chthonic. They are eldritch and unknowable, and undoubtedly one of the most powerful beings in the planar system.

And, for whatever reason, they have decided that you are fit to gain insight into their secrets.

Extended Spell List

With the Grand Chthonic as your fount of power, you have gained access to additional spells.

1st Level

False Life, Inflict Wounds, Protection from Evil and Good

2nd Level

Misty Step, Moonbeam, See Invisibility

3rd Level

Animate Dead, Revivify, Speak with Dead

4th Level

Blight, Black Tentacles, Hallucinatory Terrain

5th Level

Cloudkill, Hallow, Raise Dead

Echoes of the Dead

Starting at the 3rd level, you can pick up residual information from the recently deceased. When you land the killing blow on a creature, you can add 1d4 to your next Intelligence-based roll (meaning the casting of a spell, an Intelligence saving throw, or ability check based on Intelligence). This increases by 1d4 every four levels.

Unfinished Business

At the 7th level, you can pull a creature back from the dead so that they can do your bidding. When you or an ally kill a creature, roll a d10. Upon rolling a 10, the creature becomes a zombie, and allies itself with you. The zombie cannot be healed, and will die upon reaching 0 health points.

Converse with Dead

At the 11th level, the Grand Chthonic has bestowed upon you the ability to speak to the dead directly. At the cost of a 3rd level sibyl spell slot, you may call upon the spirit of one deceased individual. The body of the deceased must be in your presence – if their body is unavailable, you may use a random humanoid body.

Roll a d20 (with disadvantage if you don’t have the original body), adding your spellcasting modifier. If you roll a 15 or higher, the spell succeeds, and the spirit of the target enters the body. They maintain their original personality, and have all the knowledge they had when they died. In this form, the target is not truly alive, and has 0 HP. If they take any damage of any sort, they die immediately. They will not resist or attempt to block any attacks made by you. You may ask the target any question you desire, though they may refuse to answer or answer falsely if they wish.

If you roll 14 or lower, you take 3d10 necrotic damage as punishment for meddling in death’s domain.

The effect ends when the target takes damage. If this effect is already affecting one target and you use it on another, the original target automatically dies. A creature that has been already been the target of this feature cannot be affecting by it again.

You may use this feature once per long rest.

Empty Vessel

At the 15th level, your body becomes an empty vessel, ready to host a spirit other than your own. You may call upon a dead humanoid to inhabit your body. If the target does not wish to be called upon, the DM may force you to roll with disadvantage. For fifteen minutes, you functionally become the creature whose spirit you have allowed to possess you. You have all the information they had in life, as well as their personality and goals. Furthermore, those close to the target will recognize you as being them. Should anybody doubt that it truly is the target in your body, you have advantage on Persuasion rolls to convince them.

For every additional fifteen minutes you want to stay possessed, you must make a Constitution saving throw of DC 16. You may choose to end the possession early if you so desire.

You can use this feature once per long rest.

Invocation

At the 18th level, you gain the ability to call upon your fount of power. The spirit of the Grand Chthonic themselves flows through your body. While in this state you may take one of the following actions:

• You may cast raise dead without expending a spell slot.
• You may deal an additional 4d10 necrotic damage on your next attack, or 6d10 radiant damage if the target is undead or a fiend.
• You may ask the DM up to 3 questions about a target who has died in the past two weeks, or about an undead target. These questions can be of any nature, not just yes-or-no questions. The DM must answer these questions honestly.
  • (NOTE: the question must pertain only to the target. For example, “Who killed John Doe?” would not be a valid question, because it involves other creatures. However, “Did John Doe do anything that would make Jane Doe want to kill him?” would be a valid question, because it revolves around only John’s actions.)
• You may give yourself 4d12 temporary health points.
• If a creature has 50 health points of fewer, you may automatically kill them.

You may use this feature once every two long rests.

Mantis the Bibliotheque

Mantis the Bibliotheque is an enigmatic figure. It is unknown where they preside, what their motives are, or even what they are. However, one thing is clear – they crave nothing more than information. It does not matter what kind – fables, science, secrets, common knowledge, weather reports, biographies – but they want knowledge en masse. It has been theorized that they are trying to create a backup of all of existence, or that they will one day divulge all information to forces of darkness, or trying to create a utopia by fixing every flaw.

One thing, however, is certain: they have conscripted you in their service.

Extended Spell List

With Mantis the Bibliotheque as your fount of power, you gain access to additional spells. The spells provided to you by Mantis the Bibliotheque are meant to aid you in the collection of earthly information, through any means necessary.

1st Level

Charm Person, Command, Magic Missile

2nd Level

Calm Emotions, Flame Blade, Pass without Trace

3rd Level

Blink, Crusader’s Mantle, Hypnotic Pattern

4th Level

Dimension Door, Polymorph, Resilient Sphere

5th Level

Destructive Wave, Dominate Person, Geas

General Knowledge

At the 3rd level, Mantis the Bibliotheque allows you to tap into their repository of knowledge, if it will help you on your quest. At the cost of a Vision, you may learn of one of the following as an action.

• You gain knowledge of any illnesses a creature of your choice has.
• You gain knowledge about the flora and fauna in your immediate surroundings.
• You gain knowledge about one important event that happened to a target.
• You gain knowledge of a major historical event that happened locally.

Aura of Magic

At the 7th level, you have acquired so much knowledge relating to magic that you can often tell what is and is not magical simply by looking at it. You may cast detect magic without requiring components and without expending a spell slot. When you cast detect magic using this feature, the duration extends to 30 minutes, and it does not require concentration. You can use this feature once per long rest.

Arcane Archive

At the 11th level, Mantis the Bibliotheque decides to share its knowledge of the arcane with you, both in reward for helping them on their journey, and so that you may gather information even more effectively.

You now have the ability to cast spells of the fourth or fifth level earlier than anticipated, and eventually gain the ability to cast spells of the sixth level or higher. This is done by using multiple spell slots to create a single higher-leveled spell slot.

Lower Level Spells	Higher Level Spell	Level Attained
2, 2	4	11*
2, 3	5	11*
3, 3	6	13
3, 4	7	15
4, 4	8	17
4, 5	9	19

Note – you lose the ability to craft a 4th level spell slot in this fashion at level 13, and the ability to craft a 5th level spell slot in this fashion at level 17.

Your spell list for higher level spells is as below. You may use this feature once per long rest.

6th Level

Arcane Gate, Heal, Magic Jar, Planar Ally, Sunbeam

7th Level

Conjure Celestial, Divine Word, Etherealness, Plane Shift, Teleport

8th Level

Antipathy/Sympathy, Dominate Monster, Feeblemind, Glibness, Power Word Stun

9th Level

Foresight, Gate, Imprisonment, Weird, Wish

Secrets Revealed

At the 15th level, Mantis the Bibliotheque sees it fit to give you the power of telepathy, so that you can access information that should be inaccessible to you. You can select one creature to delve into its thoughts and pry out their innermost desires and darkest secrets. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw of a DC equal to 12 + your Intelligence modifier + your proficiency bonus. Upon a failure, you may choose one topic of your choice that you would like to know about. Upon revealing this knowledge, the target takes 4d12 psychic damage, taking half damage if they would otherwise be immune to it. On following turns, you may reveal an additional secret of theirs and do an equal amount of psychic damage as a bonus action. The target may make an additional Wisdom saving throw to force the effect to end. Otherwise, this feature lasts for five minutes.

This feature has no effect on creatures with an Intelligence of 5 or lower. You may use this feature once per long rest.

Invocation

At the 18th level, you gain the ability to call upon your fount of power. The spirit of Mantis the Bibliotheque themselves flows through your body. While in this state you may take one of the following actions:

• You may cast geas without expending a spell slot.
• You may deal an additional 5d10 psychic damage on your next attack. If the target is otherwise immune to psychic damage, they take 5d10 force damage instead.
• You may ask the DM one question about any subject of your choice. This question can be of any format, not just yes-or-no. The DM must answer this question honestly.
• You may choose to automatically succeed on any saving throw of your choice.
• Until you take a long rest, you may choose to have advantage on all Intelligence-based skill checks.

You may use this feature once every two long rests.

Visions

• Alertness: You call upon your fount of power to keep you alerted to any unwanted visitors in your vicinity. For 8 hours, if there are any creatures of size Tiny or larger in a 20-foot spherical radius around you, you automatically become aware of their presence. If you are sleeping when they enter the radius, you wake up. You can designate certain creatures which will not trigger this effect.
• Bad Omen: You foretell an unsavory end for your foes. You can force one creature to make a Wisdom saving throw. If they fail, they take 1d10 necrotic damage.
• Impart Knowledge: You grant an ally a crucial piece of information which will aid them in battle. When you cast guidance on a target, they can add 1d4 plus your Wisdom modifier to their roll.
• Reveal Weaknesses: Your insight grants you and your companions a look into the vulnerabilities of a target. If you cast true strike on a creature, you can give one companion advantage on their next attack against said creature.
• Repository of Lore: You have advantage on one Arcana, History, or Religion roll.
• Secrets of the Beasts: The animals around you act as conduits through which you receive your information. You may cast speak with animals without requiring components and without expending a spell slot.
• Shocking Revelation: You peer into the soul of your enemy to extract their darkest secret. As an action, you can force one humanoid creature to make a Charisma saving throw. Upon a failure, they take 1d4 psychic damage and must take disadvantage on their next attack.

• Part the Veil: You temporarily gain the ability to see things as they truly are. For fifteen minutes, you have truesight, extending for 120 feet. Prerequisite: must be level 5.
• True Intentions: You attempt to gather information on those around you. You may cast detect thoughts without requiring components and without expending a spell slot. Prerequisite: must be level 5.
• Uncontrollable Honesty: Your ability to gather information through the power of the divine physically manifests. When you cast zone of truth, all affected targets within range must make an addition Charisma saving roll. If they fail, then they are unaware that they are under the effects of the spell, and will have no qualms whatsoever divulging their secrets. Prerequisite: must be level 5.

• Speak in Tongues: The knowledge of the divine flows through you, and you begin to speak in a long-forgotten language. You force one creature of your choice to make an Intelligence saving throw with a DC equal to your Wisdom ability score. If they fail, they lose the ability to read, write, speak, and understand any languages they know. They instead only can comprehend this eldritch language, which comes across as gibberish to everyone else. They still have the ability to communicate simple ideas through gesturing. The creature has an additional attempt to succeed on the Intelligence saving throw once every 8 hours. Prerequisites: must be level 9.
• Witness: Your consciousness splits, and you become aware of the events happening in two locations at once. When casting clairvoyance, you can simultaneously see and hear through the sensor. Prerequisites: must be level 9.
• Secrets of Nature: The flora in your vicinity imparts wisdom upon you. You may cast speak with plants without requiring components and without expending a spell slot. Prerequisites: must be level 9.

• Challenge Fate: You peer into the future and take action to alter the course of events. You may cast death ward without requiring components and without expending a spell slot. Prerequisites: must be level 13.
• Eagle Eye: The position of a target is revealed to you, regardless of their location. When casting locate creature, the range of the spell increases to 2000 feet. Prerequisites: must be level 13.
• Favored Disciple: Your connection with the supernatural has gained you favor in other realms. If you cast divination more than once before taking a long rest, the response is guaranteed to be accurate twice (i.e., the initial time you cast it and the time you invoke this Vision). Prerequisites: must be level 13.

• Lay of the Land: Your fount of power bestows upon you information about your location. You may cast commune with nature without requiring components and without expending a spell slot. Prerequisites: must be level 17.
• Prying Eyes: You are supernaturally adept at certain divination rituals. When casting scrying, the target has an automatic -5 modifier to their Wisdom saving throw. Prerequisites: must be level 17.
• Words of Power: You tap into the sum of all knowledge of your fount of power, allowing it to take complete control over you. You begin espousing secrets of the universe in a cryptic and unnerving manner. While in this state, you are prone. All creatures within earshot of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. Upon a failure, they take 6d6 psychic damage and become afraid of you. On subsequent turns, you may opt to stay in this state. Creatures who are already affected will remain afraid and take an additional 6d6 psychic damage, and those who are not must take an additional Wisdom saving throw. However, as this takes a massive toll on your body, you yourself must take 2d12 radiant damage per turn you choose to remain in this state. Prerequisites: must be level 17.

Sibyl Spell List

Cantrips

Blade Ward, Force Guidance, Mending, Message, Produce Flame, Resistance, Shocking Grasp, Spare the Dying, True Strike, Word of Radiance[1]

1st Level

Alarm, Ceremony[2], Comprehend Languages, Command, Detect Evil and Good, Detect Magic, Detect Poison and Disease, Divine Favor, Guiding Bolt, Healing Word, Identify, Shield, Shield of Faith, Speak with Animals

2nd Level

Animal Messenger, Augury, Beast Sense, Crown of Madness, Detect Thoughts, Find Traps, Healing Spirit[3], Hold Person, Mind Spike [4], Prayer of Healing, Zone of Truth

3rd Level

Beacon of Hope, Bestow Curse, Blinding Smite, Clairvoyance, Dispel Magic, Fear, Invisibility Purge, Mass Healing Word, Remove Curse, Sending, Speak with Plants

4th Level

Arcane Eye, Control Water, Death Ward, Divination, Faithful Hound, Greater Invisibility, Lances of Condemnation, Locate Creature

5th Level

Commune, Commune with Nature, Contact Other Plane, Dawn[5], Dispel Evil and Good, Greater Restoration, Holy Weapon[6], Judgement, Legend Lore, Scrying

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the sibyl class, you must meet these prerequisites: 14 Intelligence, 13 Wisdom

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the sibyl class, you gain the following proficiencies: Insight, Religion, Wisdom saving throws

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1. Xanathar’s Guide to Everything pp. 171
2. Xanathar’s Guide to Everything pp. 151
3. Xanathar’s Guide to Everything pp. 157
4. Xanathar’s Guide to Everything pp. 162
5. Xanathar’s Guide to Everything pp. 153
6. Xanathar’s Guide to Everything pp. 157