Card Dealer (5e Class)
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The Card Dealer
The Card Dealer is a master of deceptive combat. Through nothing more than the use of a simple deck of cards and a set of dice, they may easily disrupt the flow of combat to their favor, and destroy their enemies.
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| "Cards are fun and all, but this is much more fun." |
Description
Enemies to the left. Enemies to the right. There is nowhere for the elfish man to run. As it is with any gamble, he will have to take his chances. The first opponent readies to fire his crossbow. Without warning, a razor-edged card is thrown in his face, making him miss his target completely. The second opponent swings his sword, and the elf's quick reflexes allow him to jump out of the way. Drawing two cards at once, the elfish man cuts both of his opponents at once. Before they can recover, they are blinded by a flurry of cards thrown into the air. When the cards settle, the elf is gone from sight.
During an unfriendly game of cards, a tiefling woman is accused of cheating. The eyes of her game partners glint with malice. Violence is sure to follow. The tiefling flips the table and lets her cards fly. The first opponent finds himself burned, as if by fire. The second is hit by the sudden darkness of a necrotic attack. The third tries to cast a damaging spell on the tiefling. The tiefling slams a card on the table, and the spell being cast is negated completely. Finally, she flips a card through her fingers and teleports out of the danger zone, escaping with her winnings.
A band of barbarians battles with a human man. The human fans out a hand of five cards, and throws them all at once, striking each of his opponents. The human senses another enemy behind him. he throws a card at the barbarian in front of him, and ducks as it ricochets off his target, flies over his head, and strikes the opponent behind him. Suddenly, the barbarians find themselves struck by an onslaught of projectiles, somehow more powerful than the ones before. It is only a matter of seconds before they are all dead on the ground.
Quick Build
You can make a Card Dealer quickly by following these suggestions. First, Dexterity should be your highest ability score, followed by wisdom or charisma. Second, choose the charlatan background.
Class Features
As a Card Dealer you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per Card Dealer level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Card Dealer level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: Light
Weapons: Simple Weapons, Finesse Weapons
Tools: Playing card sets
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
Skills: Choose four from Acrobatics, Deception, History, Insight, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) A dagger or (b) A simple weapon
- (a) A diplomat's pack or (b) An explorer's pack
- Leather armor and a deck of playing cards
| Level | Proficiency Bonus |
Features | Gambit Dice | Gambit Die Size | Gambit Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Casino Combat, Dealer's Gambit (d6) | 4 | d6 | 3 |
| 2nd | +2 | Tricked Deck | 4 | d6 | 3 |
| 3rd | +2 | Card Dealer Archetype | 4 | d6 | 4 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | d6 | 4 |
| 5th | +3 | Dealer's Gambit (d8) | 5 | d8 | 4 |
| 6th | +3 | Card Dealer Archetype Feature | 5 | d8 | 5 |
| 7th | +3 | Expertise | 6 | d8 | 5 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 6 | d8 | 5 |
| 9th | +4 | Tricked Deck | 6 | d8 | 5 |
| 10th | +4 | Card Dealer Archetype Feature | 7 | d8 | 6 |
| 11th | +4 | Dealer's Gambit (d10) | 7 | d10 | 6 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 7 | d10 | 6 |
| 13th | +5 | Stacking the Deck | 8 | d10 | 6 |
| 14th | +5 | Card Dealer Archetype Feature | 8 | d10 | 7 |
| 15th | +5 | Gambler's Intuition | 8 | d10 | 7 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 9 | d10 | 7 |
| 17th | +6 | Dealer's Gambit (d12) | 9 | d12 | 7 |
| 18th | +6 | Card Dealer Archetype Feature | 9 | d12 | 8 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 10 | d12 | 8 |
| 20th | +6 | Gambler's Determination | 10 | d12 | 8 |
Casino Combat
Not many people can fling a playing card at a straight line while maintaining the appropriate velocity for slashing the target. This is one prominent talent you acquired during your life as a Card Dealer. With an appropriate adjustment on the card beforehand, a deck of playing cards is ammunition for you.
You are proficient with combat cards, a deck of cards with sharpened edges for the purpose of combat weaponry. A combat card is a simple ranged weapon with the light, finesse, thrown (30/60) properties, and it deals 1d6 slashing damage on a hit. It also requires two hands to use. One hand for throwing, one hand for holding the deck. You cannot make a weapon attack with a combat card to a target that is within 5 feet from you.
You can spend 1 hour to prepare a deck of playing cards into combat cards. This process can be performed during a short rest or long rest. One deck of playing cards can be prepared into 52 combat cards this way.
Dealer's Gambit
Gambit is not only your profession, but also your style of life. You have a certain number of Gambit Dice that represent your wits and resolves that you can utilize to overcome a tight situation.
At 1st level, you have four gambit dice. You gain additional gambit dice when you reach 4th level, 7th level, 10th, 13th level, 16th level, and 19th level.
At 1st level, your gambit dice are d6's. When you reach 5th level, your gambit dice turn into d8's. They turn into d10's when you reach 11th level, and d12's when you reach 17th level.
You can expend gambit dice to fuel various gambit features. You start knowing three such features. Select three features from the following list. You may learn additional gambit features as you gain levels in this class, gaining one feature at 3rd level, 6th level, 10th level, 14th level and 18th level. You regain all expended gambit dice upon completing a short rest or long rest.
- Bad Beat
When a creature you can see makes an attack roll, an ability check, a skill check or a saving throw, you can use your reaction and expend 1 gambit die to hinder its attempt. Roll a gambit dice and subtract the number rolled from the creature's roll. You can choose to use this feature after the creature makes its roll, but before the DM determines whether the attack roll, the ability check, or the saving throw succeeds or fails.
- Flourish
When you use the attack action, you may flourish your deck of cards before you draw. As a bonus action, you spend one gambit die, and add its rolled number to your attack and damage rolls for your first attack. Additional damage dealt this way counts as force damage.
- Dancing Cards
As an action, you can expend 1 gambit die to perform a flamboyant card trick that dazzles spectators. Each hostile creature within 10 feet of you is immediately distracted by your performance, and must succeed an Intelligence saving throw of DC 8 + proficiency + the gambit die's rolled number. On a failed save, the targeted creatures have disadvantage on all ability checks until your next turn, and the next attack against each targeted creature has advantage.
- Deck Turnover
As an action, you can expend 1 gambit die to make a combat card attack against multiple creatures within 20 feet of you. You must make a separate attack roll for each target, with a separate combat card. The number of creatures you can attack is equal to half the gambit die's rolled number rounded down.
- Magic Fold
As a bonus action, you can expend 1 gambit die to take the disengage action.
- Rogue Ace
As a bonus action, you can expend 1 gambit die to take the dodge action.
- Lucky Throw
Immediately after you fail an attack roll, you can expend 1 gambit die to throw a combat card past the face of your target. You must then make a Dexterity saving throw of DC 20 - the gambit die's rolled number. On a successful save, you automatically hit another creature of your choice that you can see within the range of your combat card.
- Mucked Deck
You may throw a minimum of 26 combat cards into the air to distract your target and make a hide roll as a bonus. As a action, expend one gambit die to throw the cards into the air. If you throw 39 cards or more as per this effect, add the gambit dice on your hide roll. The cards thrown this way are lost, and may not be used as ammunition until recollected.
- The House Always Wins
Whenever you partake in a game where you can cheat, you can expend up to 3 gambit dice to stack the deck in your favor. For each die spent, you can give an additional player other than yourself advantage or disadvantage. If you are the dealer, you can automatically pick who wins.
- Trick Shot
If you know the current location of a creature that you can't attack because of line of sight or cover, you can use your action to expend 1 gambit die when you make an attack roll against the creature. The combat card can attack creatures by arching over and under cover, turning around corners at a 90 degree angle, or bouncing off of environment to reach unusual angles. Trick shots have their range increased by a number of feet equal to 5 x the gambit die's rolled number.
Tricked Deck
Starting at 2nd level, you can add different effects to your combat cards. Whenever you make a new set of combat cards, you can expend 1 gambit die to add a trick effect to your deck of combat cards. You may choose 1 effect from the list below to apply to your deck of combat cards. You can have more than 1 tricked deck at a time, but each deck can only have one trick effect. When a deck is tricked, your combat cards count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical attacks and damage. At 9th level, you may have 2 trick effects on one deck of combat cards at the same time. It does not cost an extra gambit die to add 2 effects.
- Flaming Spades ♠
Your cards burn! When you hit a creature, you light the target on fire for 1 minute, causing them to suffer 2d4 fire damage at the start of each of their turns. The amount of fire damage dealt is equal to the number of the gambit die rolled to add this effect. The condition effect of this feature does not stack. At the start of their turn, the creature who had been lit on fire is able to perform a Dexterity saving throw of DC8. On a successful save, the fire is put out.
- Charmed Hearts ♥
Your cards are infused with a potent pheromone! When you hit a creature, your target must succeed a Charisma save of DC 13 + the number of the gambit die rolled to add this effect, or be charmed until your next turn. While charmed, the creature can't attack you or target you with harmful actions or magical effects. You have advantage on any ability check to interact socially with the creature. You may expend 1 additional gambit die, and subtract the number rolled from the targeted creature's Charisma saving throw. You can only have one charmed target at a time.
- Poisoned Clubs ♣
Your cards sting! When you hit a creature with a poisoned card, they must make a Constitution saving throw of DC 8 + the number of the gambit die rolled to add this effect. On a failed save, the targeted creature receives the poisoned condition for 1 minute. A poisoned creature has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks. On a successful save, the creature only takes 1d8 poison damage, and is not poisoned. You may expend 1 additional gambit die, and subtract the rolled number from the creature's constitution save.
- Sharpened Diamonds ♦
Ouch! That's sharp! When you deal damage with a combat card to a creature, the creature must make a Constitution saving throw of DC 8 + the number of the gambit die rolled to add this effect. On a failed save, the creature begins to bleed at the start of each of their turns, taking an extra 1d4 slashing damage. They may repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns to end this effect. A successful Wisdom (Medicine) check can also stop the bleeding. This feature has no effect on constructs, undead, or oozes. The condition effect of this feature does not stack. You may expend 1 additional gambit die, and subtract the number rolled from the targeted creatures Constitution saving throw.
- Stunned Stars ★
Your cards make your enemies see stars! When you attack a creature, they must succeed a Constitution saving throw of DC 13 + the number of the gambit die rolled to add this effect. On a failed save, the targeted creature will be stunned until your next turn. A stunned creature is incapacitated, can't move, and can speak only falteringly. The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws. Attack rolls against the creature have advantage. You may expend 1 additional gambit die, and subtract the number rolled from the targeted creature's Constitution saving throw.
Card Dealer Archetype
When you reach 3rd level, choose one of the following archetype: the Arcane Ace or the Master of Cards. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level.
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.
Expertise
Starting at 7th level, choose two skills, and gain proficiency with those skills. If you are already proficient with the skills that you have chosen, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any abilities checks you make that use those skills.
Stacking the Deck
Starting at 13th level, you have learned to easily use your combat cards with one hand. You no longer need one hand to hold the deck and the other to throw. Your combat cards now count as a 1 handed weapon for you. You may also dual wield combat cards if you so choose. Either way, you still follow the normal rules of dual wielding.
Also at 13th level, it seems that your cards never diminish. At the end of a fight, you can reclaim some of your cards, roll a gambit dice and add that many combat cards back to your inventory.
Gambler's Intuition
Starting at 15th level, your wits as a gambler are enhanced to the point that your mind cannot be easily swayed by tricks, optical illusions, and spells. When you make an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw, you can expend one gambit die to lower the DC for yourself and any allies that can hear you, if you tell them. The DC is subtracted by the gambit die's rolled number.
Dealer's Determination
Your luck just never seems to run out! Starting at 20th level, when you roll for initiative, you regain four gambit die. If you have no gambit dice left, gain four additional gambit dice. Additionally, you may use an Action on your turn to play a defensive card. You expend a gambit die and add half the roll to your Armor Class until the end of your next turn.
Card Dealer Archetypes
Arcane Ace
Starting at 3rd level, you study the arcane arts to enhance your abilities, trick your foes, and defend yourself more effectively. In addition, you gain proficiency in the Arcana skill. If you are already proficient in the skill, you add double your proficiency bonus to checks you make with it.
- Magic Manipulation Ability
Wisdom is your magic manipulation ability for your arcane cards. Your magical talent comes from the skill that you have manipulating your deck of cards and the skill you use when executing your tricks. You use your wisdom whenever a cantrip, spell or arcane card refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a cantrips, spells or arcane card you use and when making an attack roll with one.
Arcane Ace save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Cantrips
At 3rd level, You learn three cantrips, your choice from the below list. At 10th level you learn another cantrip from this same list.
- Friends
- Gust
- Minor Illusión
- Message
- Prestidigitation
Unarmored Defense
At the 3rd level, you can channel your magic to protect you. When not wearing armor, you have an AC of 10 + Dexterity modifier + Charisma modifier.
Arcane Cards List
Also starting at 3rd level, you learn three Arcane Card options of your choice, as described at the Arcane Cards section below. You gain one additional Arcane Card options of your choice when you reach 6th, and again at 10th, 14th, and 18th level. The following Arcane Card options are all magical effects.
- Burned Card
You can channel abjuraton magic through your deck of cards to prevent the magical tricks from spoiling your own magical tricks. When you see a creature within 60 feet of you casting a spell, you can expend 1 gambit die as a reaction to interrupt its spellcasting process. If the creature is casting a spell of 2nd level or lower, its spell automatically fails. If it is casting a spell of 3rd level or higher, make an ability check using your spellcasting ability. The Charisma saving throw is DC 20 - the gambit die's rolled number. On a success, the creature’s spell fails and has no effect.
- Cold Deck
As a bonus action, you can expend 1 gambit die to channel conjuration magic to teleport yourself. With an optical illusion involving flying cards, you teleport up to a range of 30 + (5 x the gambit die's rolled number) ft to an unoccupied space that you can see.
- Dead Man's Hand
As a bonus action, you can expend 1 gambit die to infuse necromancy magic into one combat card until the end of your turn. When you hit a creature with the card infused with magic this way, the creature must make a Constitution saving throw of DC 14 + the gambit die's rolled number. On a failed save, the creatures takes necrotic damage equal to the gambit die's rolled number + your Charisma modifier (a minimum of 1), and suffers one level of exhaustion. This feature has no effect against constructs and undead.
- Payday
As an action, you can infuse transmutation magic into your deck of cards. You can select a number of your combat cards (maximum of 5) and turn them into gold coins. If you do, expend 1 gambit die and roll it. The amount of gold coins obtained is equal to the selected number of cards multiplied by the result of the gambit die. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long Rest.
- Escapist
You can channel illusion magic through your deck of cards for a fast and precise escape. When a creature targets you with a physical attack or a harmful spell, you can expend 1 gambit die as a reaction. The attacker must make a Wisdom saving throw of DC 20 + the gambit die's rolled number vs your Charisma. On a failed save, the attacker must choose a new target or lose the attack or spell. This feature does not protect you from area effects.
- Offsuits
As a bonus action, you can expend 1 gambit die to infuse evocation magic into one combat card until the end of your turn. When you do so, choose one damage type from the following list: acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder. When you hit a creature with the card infused with magic this way, the creature takes extra damage of the type chosen equal to the gambit die's rolled number + your Charisma modifier (a minimum of 1).
- Tinted Hand
As a bonus action, you can expend 1 gambit die to infuse divination magic into one combat card until the end of your turn. When you hit a creature with the card infused with magic this way, an invisible mark appears on the creature's body until the end of your next turn. The next time the marked creature is targeted with an attack, the attack roll against the creature has advantage, and the mark burns away on hit, dealing radiant damage to the creature equal to the gambit die's rolled number + your Charisma modifier (a minimum of 1). the mark lasts for 1 minute.
Spell Thief
At 18th level, you gain the ability to magically steal the knowledge of how to cast a spell from another spellcaster. Immediately after a creature casts a spell that targets you or includes you in its area of effect, you can use your Reaction to expend a gambit dice, the creature must to make a saving throw with its spellcasting ability modifier. The DC equals your spell save DC + your gambit dice roll, and on a failed save, you negate the spell’s effect against you, and you steal the knowledge of the spell if it is at least 1st level and of a level you can cast (it doesn’t need to be a wizard spell). For the next 8 hours, you know the spell, can cast it using one gambit dice per the spell level, and the creature can’t cast that spell until the 8 hours have passed. Once you use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Master of Cards
Elegant but lethal, you focus your training on the art of the combat with cards, relying on speed, elegance, and charm in equal parts. While some warriors are brutes clad in heavy armor, your method of fighting looks almost like a performance. A master of the cards excels in combat using different skills and tricks to flip the results to his advantage and always leave graceful.
Fast Hands
Starting at the 3rd level, you can throw a combat card with increased velocity. Your combat card now deals 1d8 slashing damage on a hit, and its range becomes 60/120.
Wild Card
Also starting at the 3rd level, you can find wild cards in your deck. When you make an attack with a Combat card, roll a d20. On a 1, you are unable to attack, but you have drawn a wild card. On your next turn you may add your proficiency bonus + your total number of remaining gambit dice to your next attack's damage. This can stack with any other Gambit features and Tricked Deck effects you have used for this attack. Once the attack action is taken, the wild card is expended, and another must be drawn. This feature may only be used on the attack action, and will only work on combat cards.
Combat Quickness
Starting at the 6th level none can match your speed. You truly understand what it is to be "fast," and can now attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Also your confidence propels you into battle. Your Charisma modifier is now added to your initiative.
Also starting at the 6th level, you can nimbly 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.
Swashbuckler Style
Starting at the 10th level, your charm becomes extraordinarily beguiling. As an action, you can make a Charisma (Persuasion) check contested by a creature's Wisdom (Insight) check. The creature must be able to hear you, and the two of you must share a language.
- If you succeed on the check and the creature is hostile to you, it has disadvantage on attack rolls against targets other than you and can't make opportunity attacks against targets other than you. This effect lasts for 1 minute, until one of your companions attacks the target or affects it with a spell, or until you and the target are more than 60 feet apart.
- If you succeed on the check and the creature isn't hostile to you, it is charmed by you for 1 minute. While charmed, it regards you as a friendly acquaintance. This effect ends immediately if you or your companions do anything harmful to it.
Combat Expertise
Starting at the 14th level, if your attack misses a target within range, you can spend a gambit die to turn the miss into a hit. Additionally, if you hit with both prior attacks you can spend a bonus action to attack a third time
Elusive
Starting at the 18th level, you are so evasive that attackers rarely gain the upper hand against you. No attack roll has advantage against you while you aren't incapacitated.
Multiclassing
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the card dealer class, you must meet these prerequisites: 13 Dexterity and a deck of 52 cards.
Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Card Dealer class, you gain the following proficiencies: Simple weapons.
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