Volumancer (5e Class)

Volumancer

"On this Scroll is all the power I needed..."

A man stands at a door sealed from the other side, he pulls out a scroll and reads it. The scroll turns to ash in his hands and the door opens.

A woman faces off against a horde of goblins, she pulls a scroll from her sleeve and reads it. The scroll turns to ash and she vanishes.

The group is lost deep in the wilds away from the nearest inn, and night is falling. The Volumancer pulls a scroll out and reads it. The scroll turns to ash and a dome of force springs into existence around the party keeping them safe for the night.

The Power In Your Scrolls

Having no true magical training, a volumancer has come across a handful of scrolls in their past. They seem to have a natural ability to read the arcane language they are written in as well as a knack for writing in it. When a volumancer reads a scroll the arcane words and imagery are imprinted in their mind, allowing them to reproduce it.

Creating a Volumancer

Quick Build

You can make a volumancer quickly by following these suggestions. First, constitution should be your highest ability score, followed by Intelligence. Second, choose the sage background. Pick two level one spells as your beginning scrolls.

Class Features

As a Volumancer you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

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

Proficiencies

Armor: Leather Armor
Weapons: Dagger, Darts, Slings, Short Sword, Light Crossbows
Tools: Calligrapher's Supplies
Saving Throws: Con, Int
Skills: Choose two: Arcana, Religion, History, Medicine

Equipment

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

• (a) Light Crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) 10 Darts,a Sling and 30 sling bullets, Short Sword or (c) Two Daggers
• (a) Calligrapher's Supplies or (b) Scholar pack
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 4d4 x 10 gp in funds.

Table: The Volumancer

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Scroll Creation	Casting Failure	—Spell Slots per Spell Level—
					1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
1st	+2	Scroll Casting, Scroll Creation, 1st Level Scrolls Creation, 1st Level Scroll Casting, Ink Creation, Paper Creation	2	40%	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+2	Colored Ink Creation	2	40%	2	—	—	—	—
3rd	+2	Volumancer Study, Study Feature, Waterproof Ink Creation, Waterproof Paper Creation	3	40%	3	—	—	—	—
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	3	40%	3	—	—	—	—
5th	+3	2nd Level Scrolls Creation, 2nd Level Scroll Casting	6	30%	4	2	—	—	—
6th	+3	Archetypes Ability, Invisible Ink Creation	6	30%	4	2	—	—	—
7th	+3	Language Barrier	7	30%	4	3	—	—	—
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement, Waterproof Color Ink Creation, Invisible Color Ink Creation, Quick Draw	7	30%	4	3	—	—	—
9th	+4	3rd Level Scrolls Creation, 3rd Level Scroll Casting	9	20%	4	3	2	—	—
10th	+4	Language Savant, All Spell Reading	9	20%	4	3	2	—	—
11th	+4	Study Feature, Waterproof Invisible Ink Creation	10	20%	4	3	3	—	—
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	10	20%	4	3	3	—	—
13th	+5	Speed Writing, 4th Level Scrolls Creation, 4th Level Scroll Casting	11+1d4	10%	4	3	3	1	—
14th	+5	Perfect Casting	11+1d4	0%	4	3	3	1	—
15th	+5	Study Feature, Waterproof Invisible Color Ink Creation	12+1d4	0%	4	3	3	2	—
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	12+1d4	0%	4	3	3	2	—
17th	+6	5th Level Scrolls Creation, 5th Level Scroll Casting	14+1d4	0%	4	3	3	3	1
18th	+6	Language Master	14+1d4	0%	4	3	3	3	1
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	15+1d4	0%	4	3	3	3	2
20th	+6	Double Casting	15+1d4	0%	4	3	3	3	2

Scroll Casting

Starting at 1st level, you are able to read scrolls in place of a normal mage's spell slots in order to cast magic. As you reach higher levels you can read higher level spells' scrolls. You can only cast up to 5th level spells at 17th level and higher, any spell above 5th level is unusable. You can cast and use any scroll that has a spell from the wizard spell list. You can use arcane scrolls that you find during your adventure or that you make during a long rest. You can use arcane scrolls that you've found or created any time another spellcaster could cast such a spell. Bringing a scroll out from your equipment uses up your full movement until higher levels. Your scrolls are used and read in place of any of a spell's verbal, somatic, or other material components. After a scroll is used the scroll turns to ash, making the scroll unable to be used again. If a scroll is

Since a Volumancer is not formally trained in spell casting there is a chance of failure. When you try to cast a spell roll a percentile. Your chance of spell failure starts at 40%, and will decrease by 10% at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 14th levels respectively. On spell failure, roll 1d20 to determine the spell's effect: On a 1-2 or 9-12: the spell has the reverse effect OR is cast with the intended effect on the wrong target, Dm adjudicates.; On a 3-8 or 13-18: The spell cast has no effect, and fizzles out rather unceremoniously.; And on a 19 or 20, the magic goes wild, and could have any effect rolled on the sorceror's Wild Magic table, and/or up to the DM's discretion.

Cantrips

Starting at 1st level, you know 3 cantrips of your choice from the wizard spell list. You learn an additional Cantrip at 4th, 10th, and 16th level each. Starting at 1st level, you may also write the magic of any Cantrip known onto a scroll, either without using magic ink, or without using your magically infused paper. You must still use a scroll to cast a Cantrip, but Cantrip scrolls do not degrade into ash upon use.

Scroll Creation

Starting at 1st level, you can create new scrolls during a Long Rest. The higher your Volumancer level the more scrolls you can create upon finishing a long rest, as shown in the Scroll Creation table. Starting at 1st level, you can create scrolls with 1st level spells, and the level of spell you can scribe in your scrolls increases to 2nd level spell at 5th level, 3rd level spell at 9th level, 4th level spell at 13th level, and 5th level spell at 17th level. By making a DC 15 Arcana check, you can attempt to recall any scroll you've seen. Add your Intelligence modifier and your proficiency bonus to the result, and if you succeed you can piece the desired scroll together from memory. If a scroll is pierced, or torn, it ruptures and is destroyed.

Ink Creation

Volumancers can use a lot of ink, this is not common ink but instead magically infused ink for making their scrolls. This could be costly to buy pre-made so a volumancer learns how to make ink for their own use. Starting at 1st level, you can make enough Black Ink to fill one vial upon finishing a short rest, and enough to fill three vials upon finishing a long rest. The ingredients to make this ink will cost 1 gold per vial. This ink can be sold for 50 silver. The ink made this way is not protected against water; when wet it can run and smear making the scroll useless. Ink gets used up making scrolls. The higher the scroll level, the more ink must be used: some of different qualities. The amounts and types of ink will be listed below. Instead of buying the ingredients, you may use your Calligrapher's Supplies to create the ink needed Once per week.

Ink Requirements

Per spell level: 1st level spells require 1 vial of Black Ink to write.; 2nd level spells require 1 1/2 vials of Black Ink, and 1 vial of Red Ink.; 3rd level spells require 2 vials of Black Ink, 1 1/2 of Red Ink, and 1 vial of Green Ink.; 4th level spells require 2 1/2 vials of Black Ink, 2 of Red Ink, 1 1/2 of Green Ink, and 1 vial of Silver Ink.; And 5th level spells require 3 vials of Black Ink, 2 1/2 of Red Ink, 2 of Green Ink, 1 1/2 of Silver Ink, and 1 vial of Gold Ink to write.;

Paper Creation

As important as ink is, so is the paper. Like your ink this paper is magically infused. Starting at 1st level, you can make 1d6 sheets of paper at the end of a short rest and 1d12 at the end of a long rest. The ingredients to make this paper cost 1 gold per batch of sheets. Each sheet can be sold for five copper each. This paper is not protected against water, it can fall apart when it gets wet making the scroll useless. Instead of buying the ingredients, you may use your Calligrapher's Supplies to create the paper needed Once per week.

Colored Ink Creation

At 2nd level you learn how to make Colored Ink. This is magically infused ink like the common Black Ink made by the Volumancer, Only this ink comes in different colors. This Colored Ink is used for higher level scroll creation. Scrolls level two or higher require the use of both Colored and Black Ink in the Scroll. You can make enough Colored Ink to fill one vial upon finishing a short rest, and three vials upon finishing a long rest. It costs 5 gold per short or long rest to make this ink. This ink can be sold for 5 silver. This ink is not protected against water, when wet it can run and smear making the scroll useless. The Colored Ink gets used up making higher level scrolls, as shown in your Ink Requirements.

Waterproof Ink Creation

This is just like Black Ink, only the Volumancer has found a way to protect it from the elements: It does not run or smear when exposed to water. Starting at 3rd level, you can make enough Waterproof ink to fill 1/2 a vial upon finishing a short rest, and fill 1 1/2 vials upon finishing a long rest. The ingredients to make this ink will cost 5 gold per short or long rest. you can only make Black Ink with this feature. This ink can be sold for 1 gold.

Waterproof Paper Creation

This is just like normal paper only the Volumancer has found a way to protect it from the elements. It does not fall apart when exposed to water. Starting at 3rd level, you can make 1d4 sheets of Waterproof Paper upon finishing a short rest and 1d8 sheets upon finishing a long rest. The cost of this Waterproof Paper is higher than the common paper used by a Volumancer, costing 5 gold per short or long rest to make. This paper can be sold for 50 copper.

Invisible Ink Creation

Volumancers are not ones to share their magic. One of the ways a Volumancer keeps their knowledge hidden is with Invisible Ink. This is not common ink but magically infused ink for making scrolls. Starting at 6th level you can make 1/2 a vial worth of Invisible Ink upon finishing a short rest, and 1 1/2 vials upon finishing a long rest. You can make this ink vanish or appear at a word, if others know the command word chosen by you they can use it as well. This ink can be sold for five gold. To get the materials to make the invisible ink it costs 10 gold to make an inkwell worth of ink. You can only make Black Ink with this feature. Besides magical scrolls this ink can be use to send messages to people or mark objects or places. This ink is not protected against water; it can run and smear when it gets wet making the scroll or message useless.

Language Barrier

At 7th Level, due to hours of staring at text and reading scrolls, you can now understand the basic idea of what any creature is saying. You now have advantage on Insight checks when trying to understand an unknown language. You also learn two additional languages.

Waterproof Color Ink Creation

This is just like normal colored ink, only you have found a way to protect it from the elements: It does not run or smear when exposed to water. Starting at 8th level, you can make 1/2 a vial worth of this ink upon finishing a short rest, and 1 1/2 vials upon finishing a long rest. The cost of this waterproof ink is higher than your common colored ink, costing 10 gold to make. This ink can be sold for 10 silver.

Invisible Color Ink Creation

Volumancers are not ones to share their magic. One of the ways a Volumancer keeps their knowledge hidden is with Invisible Ink. This is not common ink but magically infused ink for making scrolls. Starting at 8th level, you can make the ink vanish or appear at a word, if others know the command word you've chosen then they can use it as well. Each color in the scroll or message can have its own command word or a single command word. This ink can be sold for 10 gold. To get the materials to make the invisible ink it costs 20 gold to make a vial worth of ink. You can make 1/2 a vial worth of this ink upon finishing a short rest, and 1 1/2 vials upon finishing a long rest. You can only make colored ink with this feature. Besides magical scrolls this ink can be use to send messages to people or mark objects or places. This ink is not protected against water; it can run and smear when it gets wet making the scroll or message useless.

Quick Draw

Starting at level 8, You can retrieve a scroll regularly from your equipment as a bonus action instead of the retrieval using up your movement. You can retrieve a scroll and keep it hidden with your Sleight of Hand skill, retrieving it in this way however uses up your movement as usual.

Language Savant

Due to hours of staring at text and reading scrolls, you can now understand more languages. At 10th level you learn two additional languages.

All Spell Reading

Starting at 10th level, If a Volumancer can see a written spell in a scroll or in a spell book, they can reproduce it. You can study and learn spells like a mage would to produce scrolls, And you can copy any already written spell into a scroll.

Waterproof Invisible Ink Creation

Volumancers are not ones to share their magic. One of the ways a Volumancer keeps their knowledge hidden is with Invisible Ink. This is not common ink but magically infused ink for making scrolls. Starting at 11th level, you can make 1/2 a vial worth of this ink upon finishing a short rest, and 1 1/2 vials upon finishing a long rest. You can make the ink vanish or appear at a word, if others know the command word you've chosen then they can use it as well. This ink can be sold for 10 gold. To get the materials to make the invisible ink it costs 20 gold to make 1 vial worth of ink. Besides magical scrolls this ink can be use to send messages to people or mark objects or places. This is just like normal vanishing black ink, only you've found a way to protect it from the elements. It does not run or smear when exposed to water. You can only make Black Ink with this feature.

Speed Writing

Starting at 13th level, you are so practiced at writing scrolls that You can make 1d4 extra scrolls upon finishing a long rest.

Perfect Casting

Most likely you have failed to cast your magic many times. Over time Volumancers learn from these mistakes to perfect their casting. Starting at 14th level, you no longer have to make a failure check when casting a spell.

Waterproof Invisible Color Ink Creation

Volumancers are not ones to share their magic. One of the ways a Volumancer keeps their knowledge hidden is with Invisible Ink. This is not common ink but magically infused ink for making scrolls. Starting at 15th level, you can make 1/2 a vial worth of this ink upon finishing a short rest, and 1 1/2 vials upon finishing a long rest. You can make the ink vanish or appear at a word, if others know the command word you've chosen then they can use it as well. Each color in the scroll or message can have its own command word or a single command word. This ink can be sold for 20 gold. To get the materials to make the invisible ink it costs 30 gold to make 1 vial of ink. You can only make colored ink in this way. Besides magical scrolls this ink can be use to send messages to people or mark objects or places. This is just like normal vanishing color ink, only the you've found a way to protect it from the elements. It does not run or smear when exposed to water.

Language Master

At 18th level, due to hours of staring at text and reading scrolls, you can now understand more languages. You learn two additional languages.

Double Casting

Starting at 20th level, you have become so skilled at reading your scrolls you can cast two spells using your action.

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Praedo Study

This archetype has discovered that they have a power beyond just writing down spells and creating a new scroll. They discover they can steal spells by using blank scrolls.

Blank Scroll I

Starting at 3rd Level, whenever you are targeted by a level 1 spell, you may make a Dexterity Saving throw VS the Caster's Spell Save DC, even if the spell would make you roll a different save. If you succeed, you hold up a scroll and the scroll absorbs the spell. You must have a blank scroll in your hands to use this feature. Scrolls holding a spell in this way can be cast like any other scroll, but you can not recreate the spells cast in this way.

Blank Scroll II

Starting at 6th level, whenever you are targeted by a level 2 spell, you may make a Dexterity Saving throw VS the Caster's Spell Save DC, even if the spell would make you roll a different save. If you succeed, you hold up a scroll and the scroll absorbs the spell. You must have a blank scroll in your hands to use this feature. Scrolls holding a spell in this way can be cast like any other scroll, but you can not recreate the spells cast in this way.

Blank Scroll III

Starting at 11th level, whenever you are targeted by a level 3 spell, you may make a Dexterity Saving throw VS the Caster's Spell Save DC, even if the spell would make you roll a different save. If you succeed, you hold up a scroll and the scroll absorbs the spell. You must have a blank scroll in your hands to use this feature. Scrolls holding a spell in this way can be cast like any other scroll, but you can not recreate the spells cast in this way.

Blank Scroll IV

Starting at 15th level, whenever you are targeted by a level 4 or 5 spell, you may make a Dexterity Saving throw VS the Caster's Spell Save DC, even if the spell would make you roll a different save. If you succeed, you hold up a scroll and the scroll absorbs the spell. You must have a blank scroll in your hands to use this feature. Scrolls holding a spell in this way can be cast like any other scroll, but you can not recreate the spells cast in this way.

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Tenentem Study

This archetype has discovered that they have a power beyond just writing down spells and creating a new scroll. They discover they can use the scrolls to hold matter in them. This could be anything from gold coins to weapons to armor.

Scroll of Holding

At 3rd Level, your scrolls have an interior space considerably larger than their outside dimensions. A scroll can hold up to 500 pounds, not exceeding a volume of 64 cubic feet. A scroll weighs 15 pounds, regardless of its contents. Retrieving an item from a scroll requires an action. The images of what it's holding will appear on the scroll.

If a scroll is overloaded, pierced, or torn, it ruptures and is destroyed, and its contents are scattered in the Astral plain. Living creatures can not be put into a scroll in this way; constructs and undead can be put into a scroll, but spirits cannot. Liquids cannot be put into a scroll with this feature, unless the liquid is in a container (bottle, flask, barrel, and so on).

Scroll of Liquid

At 6th Level, you've improved your Scrolls of Holding. These scrolls act just like a scroll of holding, only they can also take in pure liquid without a container. Scrolls can hold up to 64 cubic feet of liquid. A scroll holding liquid can only hold liquid, and only one kind of liquid at a time. These scrolls weigh 15 pounds, regardless of their contents. Retrieving a liquid or item from a scroll requires an action. The image of what it's holding will appear on the scroll. While the scroll is waterproof, it isn't fireproof and it can burn, so trying to suck up lava or other superheated liquids will make the scroll burn. If a scroll is overloaded, pierced, or torn, it ruptures and is destroyed, and its contents are scattered in the Astral plain.

Scroll of Projectiles

At 11th Level, You've further improved your Scrolls of Holding. A scroll can hold up to 100 of the same projectiles (arrows, spears, cannon balls, and so on). You can then aim the scroll and give a command word. When the command word is given the scroll will release the projectiles point first (if the projectiles have a tip). The projectiles will fly up to 120 feet. You must make a Strength check of DC 14 or be knocked off your feet by the recoil. If you fail this check, you and everyone around you within 120 feet must make a Dexterity save of DC 15 to dodge the now out of control scroll's projectiles. A scroll of projectiles weighs 15 pounds, regardless of its contents. If a scroll is overloaded, pierced, or torn, it ruptures and is destroyed, and its contents are scattered in the Astral plain. Retrieving an item from the scroll requires an action. The image of what it's holding will appear on the scroll.

Scroll of Living

At 15th level, You've perfected your Scrolls of Holding. A scroll can hold medium or smaller size living creatures for up to 1 hour. Each scroll can only hold one creature in it no matter their size. The creature will not need air, food, or water, and time will not pass inside the scroll until the hour is up, so if the creature is on the brink of death once in the scroll it will stay that way until released. A scroll holding a creature weighs 15 pounds, regardless of its contents. If the scroll is overloaded, pierced, or torn, it ruptures and is destroyed, and its contents are scattered in the Astral plain. To release the creature from the scroll requires an action. The image of the creature inside the scroll will appear on it.

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Viator Study

This archetype has discovered that they have a power beyond just writing down spells and creating a new scroll. They discover they can write a portal to other planes. You must always make these scrolls in pairs: one to get to the plane and the other to get back. To make these portals you must spend a few months studying up on the realm and its location in the cosmos. You then write down all this info with high math calculations on the scrolls. None of this can be done on the fly. A set of Scrolls with portals in this fashion will become overloaded if the set is used more than your Intelligence Modifier times a week. However, once you have travelled on two planes for longer than 1 week, you can create a set of scrolls in this fashion to those same planes upon finishing a long rest.

Beginning Viator

At 3rd Level, You can use your scrolls as portals to the closest planes: the Feywilds, The Shadowfell, and The Ethereal plane. The starting scroll does not follow you into the other planes, but the return scroll does. Anyone can read the first scroll and be teleported to the same plane. If a scroll is overloaded, pierced, or torn, it ruptures and is destroyed, meaning it does not work any more.

Elemental Viator

Starting at 6th level, You can use your scrolls as portals to all of the Inner planes; including the Elemental planes: both the major (Fire, Water, Earth, Air) and Para-Quasi Elemental planes (like slime or smoke). The starting scroll does not follow you into the other plane, but the return scroll does. Anyone can read the first scroll and be teleported to the same plane. If a scroll is overloaded, pierced, or torn, it ruptures and is destroyed, meaning it does not work any more.

Outer Viator

Starting at 11th level, You can use your scrolls as portals to most of the Outer Planes: The 16 planes of Law and Chaos, Upper and Lower. The starting scroll does not follow you into the other plane, but the return scroll does. Anyone can read the first scroll and be teleported to the same plane. If a scroll is overloaded, pierced, or torn, it ruptures and is destroyed, meaning it does not work any more.

True Viator

Starting at 15th level, You can use your scrolls as portals to all of the Outer Planes: Including the Astral plane and The Far Realms. The starting scroll does not follow you into the other plane, but the return scroll does. Anyone can read the first scroll and be teleported to the same plane. If a scroll is overloaded, pierced, or torn, it ruptures and is destroyed, meaning it does not work any more.

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Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Volumancer class, you must meet these prerequisites: Int 13

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Volumancer class, you gain the following proficiencies: Arcana & History

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