Theurgist (5e Class)
Theurgist
A Battle of Wills
A tiefling woman falls to the ground, her party broken. Her nemesis stands tall over her, ready to deliver a killing blow, when her eyes begin to glow and she floats up into the air as her will is taken over by her inner demon, flames circling all around her. She raises her hand as a jet of flame pours forth towards her foe, she scowls, the light in her eyes flickers and disappears as she returns to the ground, the flames once again under her control.
A cloaked man, great and tall walks along the old road, with a diminutive woman following behind him. Suddenly surrounded by highwaymen, he removes his cloak, draws his weapon and nods to the woman. The bandits move in, looking for an opening they strike at the unarmed woman. The flash of a smile is the last thing he sees as the woman catches the blade in her clawed hands and runs her other hand into the man's chest, tearing out his heart before vanishing. The man recoils in pain as her soul enters his body and their consciousness' battle for control, but his will wouldn't be broken, the fiend relaxes her control, allowing him to tap her power. His muscles surge as he grows claws and horns, taking on a fiendish form as he tears through the remaining highwaymen with ease.
Theurgists fight a constant battle for control with an outside force, be it an inner struggle, bound fiend, or intrusive spirit.
Creating a Theurgist
How did you come to harness outside power? An overpowering bloodline? Are you haunted by an ancient spirit? or perhaps you called forth a creature and risk possession to draw from its power.
- Quick Build
You can make a Theurgist quickly by following these suggestions, First, Wisdom should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution or Strength. Second, choose the Haunted One background.
Class Features
As a Theurgist you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per Theurgist level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution modifier per Theurgist level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: One tool of your choice
Saving Throws: Wisdom, Constitution
Skills: Insight and choose one from Acrobatics, Athletics, Intimidation, Perception, Survival
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) breastplate or (b) leather armor, longbow, and 20 arrows
- (a) a martial weapon or (b) two martial weapons
- (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
- If you are using starting wealth, you have 4d4 x 10 gp in funds.
Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | —Spell Slots per Spell Level— | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | |||
1st | +2 | Outside Influence Resolve | — | — | — | — |
2nd | +2 | Tenacity | — | — | — | — |
3rd | +2 | Siphoned Spellcasting | 2 | — | — | — |
4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | — | — | — |
5th | +3 | Hardened Resolve | 3 | — | — | — |
6th | +3 | Outside Influence feature | 3 | — | — | — |
7th | +3 | Dogged Will | 4 | 2 | — | — |
8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 2 | — | — |
9th | +4 | — | 4 | 2 | — | — |
10th | +4 | Outside Influence feature | 4 | 3 | — | — |
11th | +4 | Unbreakable Spirit | 4 | 3 | — | — |
12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | — | — |
13th | +5 | Adamantine Resolve | 4 | 3 | 2 | — |
14th | +5 | Outside Influence feature | 4 | 3 | 2 | — |
15th | +5 | Resolute Will | 4 | 3 | 2 | — |
16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | — |
17th | +6 | Reverse Possession | 4 | 3 | 3 | — |
18th | +6 | — | 4 | 3 | 3 | — |
19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
20th | +6 | Soul Amalgamation | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
Outside Influence
At 1st level, you choose your source of power. Choose The Blood, The Outsider, or the Soul, each of which is detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features as you gain Theurgist levels.
Resolve
At 1st level, your battle with your influence begins.
For a number of rounds per day equal to your Theurgist level + proficiency + your wisdom modifier, You can mimic any 1 physical trait or special ability possessed by your influence. The trait or ability mimicked is chosen each time you use this feature.
Tenacity
At 2nd Level, you permanently gain any 1 Sensory or Resistance trait possessed by your influence. After recovering from being possessed you lose this feature for 1d4 hours. You can change your choice of trait during a long rest.
Siphoned Spellcasting
When you reach 3rd level, you learn to draw forth magical power from your influence. If you lose your influence, either by exorcism or death, you lose this feature until a new influence can be obtained. Your Theurgist spell list mimics that of another class based on the race of your influence.
Fey | Druid Spell List |
Celestial | Cleric Spell List |
Fiend | Warlock Spell List |
Elemental | Sorcerer Spell List |
Undead | Necromany Spells from All Lists |
- Cantrips
You learn two cantrips of your choice from the theurgist spell list. You learn an additional theurgist cantrip of your choice at 10th level.
- Spell Slots
The Theurgist Spellcasting table 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 short or long rest.
You know three 1st-level theurgist spells of your choice.
The Spells Known column of the Theurgist Spellcasting table shows when you learn more theurgist spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 7th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.
Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the theurgist spells you know with another spell of your choice from the theurgist spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
- Spellcasting Ability
Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your theurgist spells since you cast your spells through willpower. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a theurgist spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Ability Score Improvement
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.
Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.
Hardened Resolve
At 5th level, When using Resolve you may now mimic up to two Physical Traits or Special Abilities.
Dogged Will
At 7th level, you gain an additional sensory or resistance trait with your Tenacity feature.
Unbreakable Spirit
At 11th level, you gain advantage on all Wisdom Saving throws to resist possession, charm, and fear effects.
Adamantine Resolve
At 13th Level, When using Resolve you may now mimic up to three Physical Traits or Special Abilities.
Resolute Will
At 15th level, you gain an additional sensory or resistance trait with your Tenacity feature. Additionally, you no longer lose Tenacity after recovering from possession.
Reverse Possession
At 17th Level, you can make a Wisdom Contest against your influence to directly exercise your will over them. You are able to perceive through their senses and control them directly, however, your physical body cannot move.
Soul Amalgamation
Upon reaching 20th level, you are able to temporarily absorb the form and abilities of your influence. When using your Resolve feature, you can choose to merge your influence into you. You gain all physical, resistance, and sensory traits as well as any special abilities from your influence. Additionally, you add your influences ability and skill modifiers to yourself.
Outside Influences
The sources of a Theurgists power constantly seek to usurp the will of the Theurgist, taking over their body and gaining a foothold in the material plane.
The Outsider
You have summoned and bound to your will a being that is not of the material plane with a challenge rating as high as your Theurgist level divided by 3, rounded down. You can spend 8 hours and 50gp in materials to summon and bind a new being. If your summoned entity dies, during a long rest you may resummon it with no gold cost. While on the material plane you can read, write, and speak one language of your choice from your influences language list.
As a free action on your turn or reaction, you can give a command to your summoned being. To do so you must make a DC 10 Wisdom check to force your will upon them. If you fail the check, roll a D4, the being randomly performs one of four actions:
1. Your influence does nothing
2. Your influence moves half its movement in a random direction.
3. Your influence attempts to possess you, you must make a Wisdom saving throw with a DC equal to the wisdom score of your influence. If you fail the check you become controlled by your influence, each round you can make a Wisdom Saving Throw to attempt to regain control of your body.
4. Your Influence attacks a random enemy.
- Planar Sense
At 6th level, As an action, you can open your awareness to magically detect extraplanar beings. Until the end of your next turn, you know the location of any beings not native to this plane within 60 feet of you that isn't protected from divination magic. This sense doesn't tell you anything about a creature's capabilities but does tell you their native plane.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
- Ability Siphon
At 10th level, when you make a Saving Throw or Ability Check you can use the Ability Score of your influence in place of your own. You can use this feature a number of times per day equal to your proficiency + wisdom modifier. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
- Planegraft
At 14th level, You can cast your Demiplane once without expending a spell slot. You must finish a long rest before you can do so again. A demiplane created with this feature shares the Nature and appearance of the plane of your influence.
The Soul
You are haunted by an ancient spirit that seeks to control your body. As a free action during your turn or reaction, you can give a command to your spirit. To do so you must make a DC 10 Wisdom check to force your will upon them. On a failed check your influence attempts to possess you, you must make a Wisdom saving throw with a DC equal to the wisdom score of your influence. If you fail the check you become controlled by your influence, each round you can make a Wisdom Saving Throw to attempt to regain control of your body.
- Going Ghost
At 6th level, you gain the ability to cast Fly and Etherealness on yourself for a number of rounds equal to your Proficiency + Wisdom Modifier. You regain all uses of this feature on a long rest. When you cast Etherealness using this feature you must return to the material plane.
- Spectral Wail
At 10th level, you learn to cast Circle of Death a number of times per day equal to your proficiency. You regain all uses of this feature on a long rest. Additionally you can cast speak with dead at will, without expending a spell slot.
- Ghost Zone
Starting at 14th level, when you hit a creature with an attack, you can use this feature to instantly transport the target through the Shadowfell. The creature disappears and hurtles through a ghostly landscape.
At the end of your next turn, the target returns to the space it previously occupied, or the nearest unoccupied space. If the target is not an undead, it takes 10d10 psychic damage as it reels from its horrific experience.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
The Blood
(More of an alternate class than a true subclass.)
Your bloodline is so potent it threatens to overwhelm your personality. Choose a Sorcerous Origin, you gain access to the 1st level Sorcerous Origin feature, the Sorcerer spell list, and Spellcasting features. Charisma becomes your Spellcasting stat.
- Force of Personality
At 1st level, your battle with your influence begins. You choose a specific being that brought about your bloodline. You lose proficiency with Wisdom saving throw but gain proficiency with charisma saving throws. When a Theurgist feature refers to your wisdom score you may use your charisma score instead.
- Manifest Bloodline
When you reach 3rd level, as a bonus action, you can enter an enhanced form based on your bloodline.
In your enhanced form, you have several bonuses.
You have advantage on Charisma checks and Charisma saving throws. When you make a spell attack using charisma, you can increase the number of damage die rolled by 1. You have any resistances possessed by your influence.
To manifest your bloodline you must succeed on a DC10 Charisma check. On a failed check your influence attempts to possess you and you must make a DC 12 Charisma saving throw. If you fail the save you become controlled by your influence, each round you can make a charisma Saving Throw to attempt to regain control of your body. You can use this feature for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + your Theurgist level + your Charisma modifier. This feature replaces Siphoned Spellcasting.
- Mystic Blood
At 6th level, while in your enhanced form, you can cast a spell normally requiring a full action as a bonus action. Additionally, while you are in your advanced form you can choose to mimic one ability score modifier directly from your influence.
- Volatile Blood
At 10th level, choose one elemental damage type. If you take damage while in your enhanced form, nearby creatures must make a DC15 Dexterity saving throw or take 5d6 damage of that type. Additionally, When you roll damage for a spell, you can reroll a number of the damage dice up to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one). You must use the new rolls and the spells damage type becomes that of your blood.
- Awakened Blood
At 14th level, you may gain any Sorcerous Origin feature from your origin, including the 18th level feature. If a feature requires you to use sorcery points, make a DC 10 charisma saving throw instead. On a failed save you are possessed. Additionally, choose an ability score. While in your enhanced form, you gain +2 to that score. Your new maximum for that score is 22.
- Perfect Blood
At 17th level, you can maintain your enhanced form indefinitely. You must still succeed a DC 10 charisma check to enter your enhanced form. You must leave your enhanced form to rest.
This feature replaces Reverse Possession.
- Ultimate Blood
Upon reaching 20th level, you are permanently enhanced, even while resting or unconscious.
This feature replaces Soul Amalgamation.
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