Warcaster (5e Class)
Warcaster
Warcasters are spellcasters that choose to use weapons to aid in their causes, whatever they may be.
Creating a Warcaster
What made you combine spells and martial prowess? Did you join an army to hone your skills? Did you teach yourself? Did you spend years training, honing your skills until you had the power to cast spells and use weapons? Quick Build: Firstly, make Strength or Intelligence your highest score, followed by Constitution, secondly, choose the soldier background, thirdly, choose the ray of frost and light cantrips.
Class Features
As a Warcaster you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per Warcaster level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Warcaster level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: light, shields
Weapons: simple weapons, longswords, scimitars, rapiers, shortswords, longbows
Tools:
Saving Throws: Intelligence, Constitution
Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Athletics, Acrobatics, Nature, Perception, Investigation, or History
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) A longsword or (b) Any simple weapon
- (a) A shield or (b) A longbow and a quiver with 20 arrows
- (a) An explorer's pack or (b) A scholar's pack
- Leather armour and an arcane focus
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Cantrips Known | Spells Known | Features | —Spell Slots per Spell Level— | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | |||||
| 1st | +2 | 2 | - | Spellcasting, Battle Bond | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | 2 | 2 | Battle Focus | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | 2 | 3 | Warcaster Archetype | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | 3 | 3 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | 3 | 4 | Extra Attack | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | 3 | 4 | War Strike | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | 3 | 5 | Warcaster Archetype Feature | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | 3 | 5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | 4 | 6 | — | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | 4 | 6 | Battle Focus Improvement | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | 4 | 7 | Warcaster Archetype Feature | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | 4 | 7 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | 4 | 8 | — | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 14th | +5 | 4 | 8 | War Strike Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 15th | +5 | 4 | 9 | Warcaster Archetype Feature | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 16th | +5 | 4 | 9 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | +6 | 4 | 10 | — | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | 4 | 10 | Sorcerous Might | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | 4 | 11 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20th | +6 | 4 | 11 | Ultimate Warcaster | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Spellcasting
Starting at 1st level, you have learned to use the magical essence of the arcane to cast spells, much as a wizard does.
- Spell Slots
The Warcaster 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 long rest.
For example, if you know the 1st-level spell burning hands and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast burning hands using either slot.
- Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher
You know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the wizard spell list.
The Spells Known column of the Warcaster table shows when you learn more wizard spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 5th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the wizard spells you know and replace it with another spell from the wizard spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
- Spellcasting Ability
Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your wizard spells, since your magic draws on your knowledge of the arcane. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a wizard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Battle Bond
Starting at 1st level, you know a magic ritual that improves your weapons. The ritual can be performed in a short rest, and only one weapon can be under the effects of a Bond at a time. When you use a Bonded weapon, you cannot be disarmed of the weapon, and you can use the weapon as though it were an arcane focus.
Ability Score 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.
Battle Focus
Starting at the 2nd level, you can use your action to impose disadvantage on any creatures that have to save against a spell you cast before the end of your next turn. You may use this power once per long rest. Starting at the tenth level, you may extend this effect to a number of creatures equal to your intelligence modifier (minimum one), but they have until the end of their next turn if their initiative is after yours.
Extra Attack
Starting at the 5th level, whenever you use the Attack action, you may attack twice.
War Strike
Starting at the 6th level, you may cast a cantrip as a bonus action if you cast a different cantrip with your action. Starting at the 14th level, you may activate War Strike by using your action to make an attack.
Sorcerous Might
Starting at the 18th level, you gain advantage on melee attack rolls until the end of your next turn if you cast a spell on your current turn. You may use this feature a number of times per long rest equal to your intelligence modifier.
Ultimate Warcaster
Starting at the 20th level, you may choose one 3rd level spell that you know at the end of a long rest. This spell is stored in your bonded weapon for use without expending a spell slot to use it.
Warcaster Archetypes
Warlord
Warlords are Warcasters who focus on using their magic to enhance their weapons, using them to strike harder than ever before. Starting at third level, whenever you land a successful hit with your Bonded weapon, you may add your proficiency bonus to the damage. As a result you lose proficiency in shields.
Strength of the Warlord
Starting at 7th level, you gain proficiency in strength saving throws, and whenever you fail a strength saving throw, you may roll again. You must take the second result, even if it is lower.
Tenacity of the Warlord
Starting at 11th level, whenever you miss an opponent with an attack, you may use your reaction to gain advantage on your next attack against that target until the end of your next turn.
Strike of the Warlord
Starting at the 15th level, you may add your spell attack bonus to damage rolls with your Bonded weapon instead of your proficiency bonus. You also gain proficiency in all martial weapons.
Battle Mage
Battle Magi focus on their spells, using their weapons to enhance their spells. Starting at 3rd level, you learn one bonus cantrip. This cantrip does not count against the number of cantrips known.
Endurance of the Magi
Starting at 7th level, you have advantage on your Constitution saves to maintain concentration on spells.
Power of the Magi
Starting at 11th level, you may add the damage of one weapon that you have equipped to the damage rolls of your spells that deal damage.
Skill of the Magi
Starting at the 15th level, you may cast a damaging spell you know up to 3rd level immediately after casting a spell or cantrip as your action. The amount of times this can be used per long rest equals your Int modifier.
Spell Warrior
Some Warcasters use their spells and their weapons in more equal measure, these Spell Warriors are forces to be reckoned with, using blade and spell with equal force. Starting at third level, you add your intelligence modifier to any weapon damage you deal.
Gaze of the Warrior
Starting at 7th level, you may force a single creature to make a Wisdom save with DC equal to your Spell Save DC. If it fails the save, it is frightened of you for 5 minutes. The creature may attempt the save again at the end of each of its turns. If it succeeds on the save or the effect ends on it, it is immune to your further uses of Gaze of the Warrior for 24 hours.
Stamina of the Warrior
Starting at 11th level, if you take damage your AC increases by 2 until the end of your next turn. The effect is cumulative for each time you take damage.
Fangs of the Warrior
Starting at the 15th level, you may make a weapon attack with the effects of a cantrip that you know.
Multiclassing
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Warcaster class, you must meet these prerequisites: 13 Strength, 13 Intelligence.
Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Warcaster class, you gain the following proficiencies: simple weapons, light armour, shields.
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