Speedster, Variant (5e Class)

Speedster

A human clad in simple robes walks along a forest path. A gang of goblins emerge from the brush, arrows trained on him, their smiles wide at their good fortune of finding such easy prey for the legion’s slave pens. Their smiles turn to shrieks of terror as the traveler disappears in a flash of movement, they only heard a crack of thunder as their leader is struck at the speed of sound.

The militia forms in ranks to prepare for the orcs’ charge. The growling brutes howl their battle cries and surge forward. To their surprise, the human rabble holds its ground and fights with surprising ferocity. Suddenly, all the orcs fall to the ground and are cut down in seconds, despite facing a far inferior foe, never noticing the calm half-elf standing amid the militia and wiping away a bead of sweat from the exertion of knocking each one down in a few seconds.

A young half-elf becomes surrounded on all sides, and in a single action she quickly dashes from one enemy to the next attacking all enemies surrounding her with blinding speed. A human looks on in shock as a lightning bolt darts his way, but in a rush of motion he is carried out of range and allowed to live another day by his quick-stepping companion. An elf is seen racing across the land, traveling faster on foot than the horses that her companions are riding, on to her next adventure.

Called Windrunners by some, and Weave Striders by others, all speedsters exhibit similar magical abilities including running at speeds far in excess of tradional capability (to varying degrees) and resistance to the side-effects (air resistance, inability to breath, dynamic shock resulting from contact with objects at high speed, sudden stops... etc.) that would normally result from such velocity. In almost all cases, Speedsters are able to physically attack opponents by striking them while at high speed to impart large amounts of kinetic energy without suffering harm. Not all Speedsters are benevolent though, and while they make for inspiring heroes, they can also make for terrifying enemies.

Kinetic Magic

A Speedster draws his/her power from the Weave just as spellcasters do. However, Speedsters are unique in that, instead of manipulating the Weave as more traditional spellcasters do, they absorb it. Once absorbed, the raw magic of the Weave is metabolized to form "Kinetic Magic" in the bodies of the Speedsters. There it will linger until it is accessed via locomotion and the raw magic is released back into the enviornment as some form of magical release. The ability to metabolize the Weave is considered a rare and powerful gift and, as a result, it is most commonly granted by some diety or otherworldly being via either blessing or pact; however, the ability can also be achieved via experimentation, a gifted bloodline, or even by complete accident.

• Note: Each Speedster's magical release will look and act differently depending on the Speedster's personality and the way they acquired their abilities (Some examples include lightning/flames that flicker out of existance, a streak of light, a visual distortion as space compresses...etc). In addition, since a Speedster's powers are based in the Weave and magic, anything that would normally affect a magical effect (Anti-Magic Field...etc), also affects a Speedster's abilities.

Creating a Speedster

How did you become a speedster? Did you receive a cosmic blessing, or did you somehow artifically siphon or steal the ability and are constantly running to avoid capture for your actions, perhaps your created a pact with some mischievous diety in order to gain your abilities? Whatever the case, your body is forever changed. How does this affect you? How does it affect your loved ones, if there are any?

Quick Build

You can make a speedster quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your highest ability score, followed by Dexterity. Second, choose the Folk Hero background.

Class Features

As a Speedster you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per Speedster level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Speedster level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light
Weapons: Thrown Weapons, Light Melee Weapons
Tools: One Artisan tool of your choice.
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
Skills: choose three from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, Insight, Perception, Investigation, Performance, Arcana, or Sleight of Hand

Equipment

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

• (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
• (a) 2 daggers or (b) 1 finesse weapon
• Wind Goggles
• Traveler's Clothes (styled as you see fit)

Table: The Speedster

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Unarmed Strike
1st	+2	Kinetic Manipulation, Speed Boost	1d4
2nd	+2	Kinetic Points	1d4
3rd	+2	Kinetic Techniques	1d4
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	1d4
5th	+3	Innate Quickness, Extra Attack	1d6
6th	+3	New special Techniques	1d6
7th	+3	Evasion	1d6
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	1d6
9th	+4	Phasing	1d6
10th	+4	Fast Metabolism	1d6
11th	+4	Quick Thinker, New Special Techniques	1d8
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	1d8
13th	+5	Signature Technique	1d8
14th	+5	Quick Reflexes	1d8
15th	+5	Race Against Time	1d8
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	1d8
17th	+6	True Nomad, New Special Techniques	1d10
18th	+6	Essense of Quick	1d10
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	1d10
20th	+6	Kinetic Vessel	1d10

Kinetic Manipulation

The stores of Kinetic Magic you carry in your body offers various benefits:

• You can add your Charisma Modifier as a bonus to your AC. To use this as well as other Speedster class features, you can’t be wearing armor or wielding a shield.

• Your Unarmed Strikes now deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage and can use Dexterity for the attack and damage rolls as you learn to strike fast and strike hard. This damage increases as your body accumulates more Kinetic Magic. It increases as shown in the Unarmed Strike section in the table above. If you are using a light weapon or making a ranged attack with a thrown weapon, it also benefits from this feature (similar to monk weapons).

At level 6 your unarmed strikes become magical for overcoming resistances. In addition, you gain the following benefits.

• your melee attacks now deal extra damage equal to your Charisma Modifier as thunder damage. Additionally, you gain resistance to thunder damage.

• Your body has become acclimated to going beyond the normal human limits. You gain proficiency in Constitution Saving Throws, and your proficiency bonus is doubled if you are already proficient in them. You can also add your proficiency to any Constitution checks you are asked to make.

Speed Boost

While not wearing armor, the Kinetic Magic can flow throughout your body uninterrupted and allow you to magically propel yourself forward, almost as an act of will. Your base speed increases by Your speedster Level x5 + Your Proficiency bonus x10 feet. In addition, whenever you move, you can choose to draw upon your stores of Kinetic Magic to Accelerate. While accelerated, your speed is doubled. This effect lasts 1 minute. You can do this 2 times before you must take a long rest to metabolize more of the raw magic of the Weave and regain this ability. Being a Speedster has a drawback though. you require 5 times the normal amount of food a day because your metabolism burns through it extremely quickly.

• At the Dm's discretion, the uses of speed boost may stack with one another at the risk of suffering a level of exhaustion each time you stack it or some other similar effect (ex, Tabaxi agility). Otherwise, it does not stack. If allowed to stack, you must make a Constitution Save (DC dependent on DM and situation).

Kinetic Points

As a Speedster, you are imbued with the magic that stems from the motion of the world. You access this power at level 2 and can expend it to use different features. This resource refills after a short or long rest. The number of points you possess is equal to your Speedster Level. Some features will require your targets to make a saving throw to resist the feature's effects. The saving throw DC is 8 + your proficiency + your Charisma modifier. This is a reflection of the fact that your abilities are highly dependent on the level of confidence you have in them. Also you can Dash as a bonus action or spend 1 Kinetic Point to Disengage, or Dodge as a bonus action instead.

Kinetic Techniques

At level 3, you have learned that, despite being less versatile than traditional Weave Manipulation, Kinetic Magic has a great number of practical applications. You learn 3 of the following techniques now, and gain 2 additional techniques at levels 6, 11, and 17. Each technique costs 1 Kinetic Point unless otherwise noted, but can not be done when you are wearing armor. Your DM may reward extra techniques if they so choose.

• Supersonic Punch: You have learned to channel all of your movement into one massive punch. You may move a distance equal to your speed and make a single unarmed strike as an action and attempt to knock the target back 10ft if it fails a Strength saving throw. This strike creates a crack akin to thunder that is audible within 300ft. The damage and knockback effect of this technique increases by 1d8 and 5ft respectively for every 15ft the Speedster travels without making a sharp turn before the attack is made as they race forward channeling speed and power into a single strike. You may only do a max of 1/2 Speedster level (rounded up) in d8's and can only move a creature 1/2 Speedster level in 5ft increments(Example: a level 3 creature can do a max of 2d8 and move a creature up to 5ft). A save allows only half damage to be taken and causes no pushback. After you use this affect you speed becomes 0 for the rest of your turn.

• Displacement: At the cost of 2 Kinetic Points you can channel all of the kinetic magic in your body into one burst of motion, disappearing and reappearing in a blink of an eye. This gives the effect of a Thunder Step spell with the range being equal to your movement speed (which you can then extend with Speed Boost). You can choose to spend extra Kinetic Points to cast this at higher spell slots.

• Extreme Acceleration: At the cost of 2 kinetic points, whenever you amplify your speed with your Speed Boost feature you can choose to have it last 1 round instead of a minute in order to multiply your speed by 5 instead of doubling it.

• Whirlwind Arms: You spin your arms in a circular motion, causing the wind to funnel around them. You may cast either Feather Fall or Gust of Wind.

• Whirlwind (Prerequisite 13th level): For 7 Kinetic Points and using your movement speed, you can run to a spot and run in a circle extremely fast non-magically casting the Whirlwind spell (the range of which is equal to a quarter of your movement speed, can be increased with speed boost) and then return to a spot equal to a quarter of your movement speed away from the point you chose. Using this does not provoke opportunity attacks. This Whirlwind does not require concentration and the DM decides if/where it moves. In addition you can use this feature in the same way to end a Whirlwind spell early by running in the Whirlwind in the opposite direction dissipating it.

• Skirmisher: As an action and for 2 Kinetic Points, you can force creatures you choose within a cone (the size of which is equal to 1/4 your movement speed rounded down to the nearest five feet, which can not be increased by dashing or speed boasts) to make a Strength saving throw or suffer damage equal to your Unarmed Strike damage and be either knocked prone, or disarmed of 1 item as you speed from one to another, affecting them all in the blink of an eye.

• Lightning Toss (Prerequisite 6th level): For 3 Kinetic Points, you can grab the lightning that you are generating and throw it at an enemy. To use this you must move at least 30 feet and you make an attack roll using your Charisma modifier against a single target within 50 feet of you. On a hit you deal 6D8 lightning damage (You can use extra kinetic points to increase the damage at a rate of 2 Kinetic Points per extra die of damage) You can't use this action again until you complete a short rest.

• Heightened Reflexes: As a reaction to being hit with a Ranged Weapon attack you gain the ability to decrease the damage by the damage of that attack by 1d10 + Your Dexterity Modifier + your Speedster Level. If you reduce the damage to zero and it is small enough to hold, you may catch it and (if you choose to expend an additional Kinetic Point) you may make a ranged attack with the weapon as a part of the same reaction.

• Speed Mirage: You are able to move so fast that you can create mirage versions of yourself in order to trick your enemy. You can expend 2 Kinetic Points to cast Mirror Image. You can create more duplicates of yourself when you cast this at a rate of 1 duplicate per 2 additional Kinetic Points.

• Inner Phasing: You are able to vibrate your whole body at a molecular level, able to make attacks pass through you. You can expend 1 Kinetic Point to cast Blur.

• Kinetic Blessing/Curse:(prerequisite: 6th level) You can expend 3 Kinetic points to cast Haste or Slow on someone else. You can do this by using your Kinetic Magic to either accelerate their movements or leech them of their momentum respectively. Once you do so you cannot do so again until you finish a short rest and regain the necessary focus required to perform this Technique again.

• Zephyr Strikes:(prerequisite: 6th level) You can spend 1 Kinetic point to make 2 unarmed strikes as a Bonus Action.

• Flash Time:(prerequisite: 17th level) You can spend 15 Kinetic Points to gain an extra turn at your initiative - 10(This may only be used once per combat).

• Windwalker: You have learned to draw the air with you as you run. Anytime you take the Dash action you can choose to leave an aggressive gust in the area you pass through by displacing the air around you at no Kinetic cost. Until the end of your next turn, areas where you decide to leave a gust are considered difficult terrain to other creatures.

• Quick Hands: (Prerequisite: 6th level): By spending 2 kinetic points to enhance both you perceptions and your movements, you may use a bonus action to take either the Use an Object action or make a Sleight of Hand check. This effect lasts for one minute.

• Chauffeur: You can enhance the movement of people you are in contact with so that they do not slow you down. Whenever you have a creature grappled you can choose to activate this feature as a bonus action. Until the end of your next turn, moving while grappled no longer costs you extra movement.

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.

Innate Quickness

At level 5 your connection to Kinetic Magic has deepened. While Accelerated, you can now run up vertical surfaces and across liquids without falling during the move. In addition, you can use your reaction when you fall to reduce any falling damage you take by an amount equal to five times your speedster level. At 9th level you can do this without Accelerating.

Extra Attack

At fifth level, you have learned how to weave your natural speed into battle. You may attack twice instead of once when you take the Attack action.

Evasion

Beginning at 7th level, you can easily 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.

Phasing

At level 9, you gain the ability to cause the Kinetic Magic in your system to oscillate so fast you partially cross into the Etheral Plane. You may spend 2 Kinetic Points as a bonus action to activate this feature which will allow you to pass through solid objects. Solid objects moved through in this way costs 2 feet of movement for every foot you move, and you must have the necessary movement to come out into an unoccupied space or else take 2d10 bludgeoning damage and have the object explode into pieces if it is small, or shunt you to the nearest unoccupied space if it is any larger than small. If an object explodes the area 5ft around the object will now be considered difficult terrain. If the Speedster attempts to phase through something that is either magical in nature, magically warded, or blocks Etheral travel they are repelled from the object and the Speedster takes 2d10 force damage. In addition, you gain the ability to Dash as a reaction.

Fast Metabolism

At level 10, your increased metabolic activity has enhanced the way you heal, allowing for speedy self-regeneration. If you have at least 1 hit point at the start of your turn, you regain 1 hit point. In addition, diseases have no effect on you, and you have resistance to Poison Damage.

Quick Thinker

At level 11, your mental processes are enhanced as well. You can use your action to end one effect on yourself that is causing you to be charmed or frightened. In addition, it only takes half as long for you to learn new languages or adopt new tool proficencies. In addition, you learn an additional language. Also your mental abilities have become so fast that you can perfect your understanding of a subject in a very short time. Choose one of your skill or tool proficiencies. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses the chosen proficiency. You can change the choice of proficency after a long rest.

Signature Technique

At level 13, your training and mastery of kinetic magic has allowed you to be able to be able to develop a signature move. Choose 1 Kinetic Technique you have, it costs 1 less Kinetic Point to use. You can change which Technique benefits from this when you gain a level in this class.

Quick Reflexes

At level 14, you can quickly react to almost any situation if you know what's going on. When an attacker you can see hits you with an attack, you may use your reaction to halve the attack's damage against you.

Race Against Time

At level 15, your connection to Kinetic Magic has evolved and allows your body an advantage in the constant race against time. You now age at 1/10 the normal rate for your race. You also get resistance to tremendous kinetic impact forces that could easily kill a creature, giving you resistance to force damage.

True Nomad

At level 17, you have learned to truly master high-speed travel. You can spend 7 Kinetic Points to cast the Teleport or Plane Shift spells, using the release of raw magic from your movement to create folds in the Weave that quickly reset themselves after drawing in those you choose. Once you use this feature you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest as the trip is physically exhausting for you, barely allowing you to function normally after the trip.

• Possible flavor for the spells: You move so quickly in a small circle (surrounding the people you wish to accompany you) that the portal opens in the middle and sucks you all in before resealing itself (Plane Shift), or you move between your destination and your current location multiple times in the blink, bringing someone with you with each trip. If no one is accompanying you, you simply accelerate to your destination in the blink of an eye (Teleport) or move forward at such a speed that the Weave folds around you to carry you across the planes (Plane Shift).

• At the DM's discretion, multiple uses of this ability in a short time may have adverse effects to either those that accompany you or the world itself (such as fire damage from the friction, new transplanar portals that let in demons, devils, or fey...etc. )

Essense of Quick

At level 18, your adept skill with Kinetic Magic allows you to keep a sturdy guard. Starting at 18th level, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage that you take is reduced by your proficiency bonus as your reflexes become subconscious. In addition, you gain the fighter's Action Surge feature.

Kinetic Vessel

At level 20, your mastery of the Kinetic Magic has given you the ability to use 1 of your Special Techniques without the use of Kinetic Points (If applicable). After a long rest you may replace this technique with a different one. In addition, you can now amplify your speed with Speed Boost an unlimited number of times.

• Note: If allowed to stack, this could prove disruptive and as a result, there could be some consequences to stacking this ability, similar to the Nomad Feature (or more unique consequences such as intense fire damage, levels of exhaustion, enviornmental destruction...etc.)

Multi-classing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Speedster class, you must meet these prerequisites: Dexterity 13, Charisma 13

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Speedster class, you gain the following proficiencies: Athletics, Unarmed Strikes

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