Inscriber (5e Class)
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Inscriber
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| An Inscriber awakening an ivory card's spell code. Art Credit to Anna Haiduchenko, on ArtStation. |
There are many who study the intricacies of magic. They take a look at the complex motion and manipulation of the Weave. An Inscriber takes the very basics of those studies and applies them in a method that doesn't require delicate movements and spoken word. They take up their feather pencils and their ink and begin to translate the language of magic itself into a symbol. They create glyphs, seals and marks unlike those that spellcasters become familiar with. They keep every magical code they've learned in a tome of their own, ready to copy them down onto specially designed cards that can awaken the magic from the symbols they were given.
An Inscriber travels for the sake of uncovering more symbols, and thus is drawn to explore sacred tombs, cursed temples and paths to fabled lost civilizations. Through such endeavors, Inscribers of old have uncovered how their symbols can be used for magical prowess to match that of renowned sorcerers or to trap certain beings within their cards, ready to be unleashed under their command. To some Inscribers, these symbols are a means to an end, and they consider them one of their most powerful tools in their bag of tricks.
Creating an Inscriber
- Quick Build
You can make an Inscriber quickly by following these suggestions. First, Intelligence should be your highest ability score, followed by Dexterity. Second, choose the guild artisan background.
Class Features
As a Inscriber you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per Inscriber level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Inscriber level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: light armor
Weapons: dart, ivory card, dagger, shortsword, whip, handaxe, light hammer
Tools: Calligrapher's Supplies
Saving Throws: Intelligence and Dexterity
Skills: Choose three from the following: Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Arcana, History, Insight, Perception and Performance
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) A set of 100 ivory cards and a shortsword or (b) A set of 100 ivory cards and a whip or (c) A set of 100 ivory cards and a simple weapon
- Calligrapher's Supplies and a Deck Pouch(100 card limit)
- (a) A scholar's pack or (b) A dungeoneer's pack
- Leather Armor and a Tome of Symbols
| Level | Proficiency Bonus |
Features | Cantrips Known | —Spell Slots per Spell Level— | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | ||||
| 1st | +2 | Spellcasting, Card Casting, Throwing Expert | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Expertise | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | Inscriber Den, Written Power, Inscribing Versatility | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | — | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | Inscriber Den feature, Card Coating | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | — | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement, Expertise | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | — | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | Crafty Scholar | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | — | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | — | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 14th | +5 | Inscriber Den feature | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 15th | +5 | — | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 17th | +6 | — | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | Superior Coating | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 20th | +6 | Secure Translation | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Spellcasting
At 1st level, as a skilled translator of the Weave, you have a Tome of Symbols containing the intricate code of spells that you apply to your ivory cards. Your Tome of Symbols contains 4 Inscriber spell codes at 1st level, and it follows the same guidelines as a Wizard's Spellbook. Every time you gain an Inscriber Level, you may add 2 spell codes to your Tome of Symbols. Each of these spell codes must be of a level for which you have spell slots, as shown on the Inscriber table.
You can translate a number of spell codes equal to you Intelligence Modifier + your Inscriber level (minimum of one spell code) onto your ivory cards, provided you have Calligrapher's Supplies. You can translate spell codes onto a number of ivory cards equal to a 5th of your Inscriber level times ten(minimum of 10) whenever you finish a long rest. These spell codes are permanently on these cards and never fade away, meaning that keeping track of how many cards you have coded and how many you have blank is very important. Preparing a new stack of Inscriber spell codes requires time spent by studying your Tome of Symbols and inscribing its spell codes onto your ivory cards: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell code on your list.
Spellcasting Ability: Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your Inscriber spell codes. 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 Inscriber spell code you awaken 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
Ritual Casting
You can cast an Inscriber spell code as a ritual if that spell code has the ritual tag and you have the spell code in your Tome of Symbols. You must also have a coded ivory card inscribed with that spell code.
Card Casting
Starting at 1st level, you can cast spells by burning up an ivory card with the spell code you want to cast on it. This process is called awakening. As the card burns up, you are given the card's knowledge to use for yourself on that action, bonus action or reaction, depending on the spell you awakened.
As an Action, you can drop a coded ivory card on an unoccupied 5ft space within 15 ft of you and choose to manifest the card's magic as a solid veil of mana that takes up a 5ft cube, the coded card you've chosen floating in the middle of that cube. The coded cube has an AC of 10 plus half your Inscriber level(rounded down, minimum of 1), Hit Points equal to 4 times the total of your Inscriber level plus your Constitution Modifier, immunity to all conditions and can only move 15 feet on the ground if you use an action to move it. The cube glows a very faint color(your choice).
As an Action, you may choose to cast the spell from your coded cube as if it were a regular casting of the spell, originating from the cube instead of yourself. Doing so burns up the card within the cube and makes the cube fade away. Spells that could activate from a point of your choice must instead have the cube's space as the point of origin. If the cube moves 15 feet away from it's original space, it fades away, casting the spell within it as it does. If the cube dies before it can cast the spell, the card within it lands safely on the space it was once occupying.
- Easy Translation
You may decide to have Cantrip Coded ivory cards that burn up from casting your Inscriber cantrips instead return to your Deck Pouch.
Throwing Expert
Starting at level 1, You can draw a weapon that has the thrown property as part of the attack you make with the weapon.
Expertise
At 2nd level, choose two of your skill proficiencies. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies.
At 8th level, you can choose another two skill proficiencies to gain this benefit.
Inscriber Den
At 3rd level, you begin to research the skills of an Inscriber Den of your choice. Choose between the Den of Captors, the Den of Elements or the Den of Memories, all detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th and 14th level.
Written Power
At 3rd level, you can tap into your new craft in order to regain your magical energy. As an Action, you may burn an amount of silvered ivory cards equal to half your inscriber level (rounded up), up to a maximum of 5, to regain an amount of expended spell slots to recover.
The spell slots can have a combined level equal to the amount of silvered cards burned this way.
Once you've used this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
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.
Optional Class Feature: Inscribing Versatility Whenever you reach a level in this class that grants the Ability Score Improvement feature, you can do one of the following, representing your focused studies shifting to new horizons:
- Replace one of the skills you chose for the Expertise feature with one of your other skill proficiencies that isn't benefiting from Expertise.
- Replace one cantrip you learned from this class's Spellcasting feature with another cantrip from the inscriber spell list.
Card Coating
At 6th level, when you choose to cast a spell, you may also throw a coded ivory card of the appropriate spell code at the target. The card flares in a color(your choice), setting a delayed awakening on it that is triggered upon impact with a surface or creature, burning up the card in the process.
Treat the spell code as you would a regular version of the spell, replacing the card's range with that of the spell's as well and re-flavoring the casting to fit the method it was done in.
If the spell deals damage, add the ivory card's damage to the spell as if you were making a ranged weapon attack with it.
If the target was attacked by this method and must make a saving throw, they do so at disadvantage.
In the case of a spell that can attack multiple targets, there are a two things to note:
If attacking multiple creatures, you must choose one of your targets to take the additional damage from your ivory card, making them your initial target. The remaining attacks of the spell also originates from the card that hit your initial target, but you must put the range between you and the initial target into account when checking if others are within range.
Only an initial target makes their saving throw at disadvantage.
Crafty Scholar
At 10th level, your time with both your ivory cards and your Tome of Symbols has given you knowledge on new subjects. You can learn two additional skills from the following list: Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Arcana, History, Insight, Perception and Performance.
Superior Coating
At 18th level, when making a ranged weapon attack with ivory cards, a dart, a dagger, a handaxe or a light hammer, you may add your Intelligence modifier to both the attack and damage rolls. Additionally, on a hit, you add an extra 1d8 force damage to the attack. If an ivory card was the weapon you used, it burns up if you use either of these additional effects.
Secure Translation
At 20th level, you may decide to have ivory cards that burn up from spells and abilities you use instead return to your Deck Pouch.
Den of Captors
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| An Inscriber of the Den of Captors showcasing multiple captured creatures. Art Credit to FromSoftware Inc. |
These Inscribers learn how to trap certain creatures into their cards for them to call upon under their command.
- Expanded Captor Spell List
A Den of Captors Inscriber gains access to the following spell codes, and may add them to their Tome of Symbols after they have reached the appropriate Inscriber level. They are Inscriber Spells for you.
| Inscriber Level | Spell Codes |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Find Steed, Summon Beast, Healing Spirit |
| 5th | Summon Fey Spirit, Summon Shadowspawn, Summon Undead |
| 7th | Summon Construct, Summon Elemental, Summon Aberration |
| 9th | Banishing Smite, Planar Binding, Summon Celestial |
| 11th | Forbiddance, Summon Fiend, Tasha's Otherworldly Guise |
- Creature Codex
At level 3, Upon joining the Den of Captors, you gain proficiency with Painter's Supplies and must use one to translate features associated with this Den that require translation onto an ivory card.
Your studies of the many beasts that call your world home has allowed you to learn how to acquire their very beings into your cards. You create a new chapter in your Tome of Symbols, called the Creature Codex. You select three beasts with a challenge rating as high as 1 to write into your Codex and can translate these beasts onto your ivory cards as part of your long rest preparation with the Spellcasting feature, along with any other creatures you manage to write into your Creature Codex. You can prepare a total of 10 creature coded cards whenever you finish a long rest.
As an action, you can summon these creatures a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier by throwing a card with the creature coded on it onto an unoccupied 5ft space within a 30ft radius that you can see, burning the card in the process as the creature appears on top of that space. It disappears once it drops to 0 hit points or a number of hours equal to half your Inscriber level(rounded down) passes.
The creature is friendly to you and your companions for the ability's duration. In combat, the creature shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It obeys verbal commands that you issue to it (no action required by you). If you don’t issue any, it defends itself, taking the dodge action, but otherwise takes no action. If the creature has any legendary or lair actions, you can't command it to use them.
Only one creature can be out at a time with this feature. Calling a new creature will cause the older one to disappear. You can end this ability early by spending a bonus action to do so. You regain all expended uses of this ability after finishing a long rest.
Your Inscriber level determines the beasts you can summon, as shown in the Creature Codex table.
| Inscriber Level | Limitations | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd | No flying or swimming speed | Dire Wolf |
| 5th | No flying speed | Giant Octopus |
| 8th | Giant Eagle |
- Capture Creature
At level 3, your time in the Den of Captors has allowed you to write rules into your Creature Codex on how to seal the very being of a creature into a card.
You may open your Tome of Symbols to the Creature Codex and copy a special glyph, using both Calligrapher's Supplies and Painter's Supplies along with 100gp worth of silver dust that is consumed upon translation, onto 10 ivory cards as part of your long rest preparation with the Spellcasting feature. They gain the property of "silvered."
In combat, whenever a beast of the appropriate challenge rating that you do not have in your Creature Codex yet dies or goes unconscious, you can use your reaction to toss a silvered ivory card at it. Treat this as a ranged spell attack. If the attack hits, the beast gets captured into the card and the beast's description magically appears in your Creature Codex. If the attack misses, the creature simply dies or, if unconscious, is now immune to this effect for 24 hours.
- Planar Deck
At level 6, your studies of pulling creatures from different planes has allowed you to enhance your cards with some of this knowledge. Whenever you make a ranged weapon attack with an ivory card, you may add 1d4 of either Radiant or Necrotic damage(your choice) to the weapon attack. The weapon counts as magical with a +1 bonus to hit.
Additionally, on a hit when using the extra damage of this ability, you may swap places with the target you hit. You can use this ability once, every time you finish a short or long rest.
The damage dice amount and bonus to hit of this feature increase by 1 at 10th level and again at 14th level.
- Codex Improvement
At level 6, your experience with summoning has unlocked new, more powerful creatures to capture and control. You can now use your silvered ivory cards to capture creatures of the following types: Plants, Elementals, Fey, Undead, Monstrosities, Aberrations, Constructs, Dragons, Giants, Celestials and Fiends.
Additionally, your Inscriber level determines what the max challenge rating of a creature you can capture is, as shown on the Codex Improvement table.
| Inscriber Level | Challenge Rating |
|---|---|
| 6th | 2 |
| 8th | 3 |
| 10th | 4 |
| 12th | 5 |
| 14th | 6 |
| 16th | 7 |
| 18th | 8 |
| 20th | 10 |
- Codex Morph
At level 14, you can now draw power from your creature coded cards, letting you assume their form.
As a bonus action, you can burn up a an ivory card that has a creature from your Creature Codex translated onto it to transform into that creature. You can use this feature three times. You regain expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.
Once you reach 18th level, the amount of times you can use this feature increases to four times.
You can stay in this form for a number of hours equal to half your Inscriber level (rounded down). You then revert to your normal form unless you expend another use of this feature. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using a bonus action on your turn. You automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die.
While you are transformed, the following rules apply:
Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the creature, including Mental Ability Scores, but you retain your alignment and personality. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature. If the creature has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the creature's bonus instead of yours. If the creature has any legendary or lair actions, you can't use them.
When you transform, you assume the creature's hit points and Hit Dice. When you revert to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. However, if you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form, For example, if you take 10 damage while transformed and have only 1 hit point left, you revert and take 9 damage. As long as the excess damage doesn't reduce your normal form to 0 hit points, you aren't knocked unconscious.
You are limited in the Actions you can perform by the Nature of your new form, and you can't speak, cast Spells, or take any other action that requires hands or Speech unless your new form is capable of such Actions. Transforming doesn't break your concentration on a spell you've already cast, however, or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell, such as witch bolt, that you've already cast.
You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can't use any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense.
You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature's shape and size. Your equipment doesn't change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can't wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.
Den of Elements
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| An Inscriber of the Den of Elements infusing their Ivory Cards with Fire. Art Credit to Josh Corpuz on ArtStation. |
These Inscribers focus their efforts into learning the codes of powerful energy spells.
- Expanded Elements Spell List
A Den of Elements Inscriber must first decide what creature to dedicate their studies to as they delve deeper into secrets of the Elemental Planes. Once they do, they gains access to the following spell codes belonging to their Elemental Research Ring, and may add them to their Tome of Symbols after they have reached the appropriate Inscriber level. They are Inscriber Spells for you.
| Inscriber Level | Phoenix Spell Codes | Leviathan Spell Codes | Elder Tempest Spell Codes | Zaratan Spell Codes | |
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| 3rd | Aganazzar's Scorcher, Flaming Sphere | Snilloc's Snowball Storm, Mirror Image | Dust Devil, Gust of Wind | Maximillian's Earthen Grasp, Pass Without Trace | |
| 5th | Fireball, Melf's Minute Meteors | Tidal Wave, Sleet Storm | Lightning Bolt, Call Lightning | Erupting Earth, Meld into Stone | |
| 7th | Fire Shield, Death Ward | Control Water, Watery Sphere | Storm Sphere, Freedom of Movement | Stoneskin, Stone Shape | |
| 9th | Immolation, Flame Strike | Maelstrom, Cone of Cold | Control Winds, Steel Wind Strike | Transmute Rock, Wrath of Nature | |
| 11th | Investiture of Flame, Find the Path | Investiture of Ice, Otiluke's Freezing Sphere | Investiture of Wind, Chain Lightning | Investiture of Stone, Bones of the Earth |
- Energy Edict
At level 3, Upon joining the Den of Elements, you gain proficiency with Cartographer's Tools and must use one to translate features associated with this Den that require translation onto an ivory card.
Your interest in the Elemental Planes and the raw magical power within them has given you a connection to a creature from one of the 4 planes that you now dedicate your research to. You create a new chapter in your Tome of Symbols, called the Energy Edict. You learn aspects tied to the Elemental you're dedicated to and can translate these aspects onto your ivory cards as part of your long rest preparation with the Spellcasting feature. You can prepare a total of 10 aspect coded cards whenever you finish long rest.
You can awaken these aspect coded cards a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier by performing a swiping motion with your aspect coded card, burning the card in the process as it emulates the power of the elemental plane you researched. You regain all expended uses of this ability after finishing a long rest.
The levels you learn an Aspect are shown here on the Energy Edict table.
| Level | Aspects | Phoenix | Leviathan | Elder Tempest | Zaratan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd | Aspect of Shielding | As a Bonus Action, you may invoke the Phoenix, granting you Fire resistance for 1 minute.
Before this aspect ends, you can make the first roll on each of your turns that deals Fire damage ignore Fire resistance for one target it hits and deal extra Fire damage equal to your Proficiency Bonus. |
As a Bonus Action, you may invoke the Leviathan, granting you Cold resistance for 1 minute.
Before this aspect ends, you can make the first roll on each of your turns that deals Cold damage ignore Cold resistance for one target it hits and deal extra Cold damage equal to your Proficiency Bonus. |
As a Bonus Action, you may invoke the Elder Tempest, granting you Lightning resistance for 1 minute.
Before this aspect ends, you can make the first roll on each of your turns that deals Lightning damage ignore Lightning resistance for one target it hits and deal extra Lightning damage equal to your Proficiency Bonus. |
As a Bonus Action, you may invoke the Zaratan, granting you resistance to Force and Bludgeoning damage for 1 minute.
Before this aspect ends, you can make the first roll on each of your turns that deals Force or Bludgeoning damage ignore one of those resistances for one target it hits and deal extra Force or Bludgeoning damage equal to your Proficiency Bonus. |
| 6th | Aspect of the Myrmidon | As an Action, a Fire Elemental Myrmidon superimposes itself over you for a brief second, disappearing as you now swing with a scimitar made of flame at a target within 5ft of you. This scimitar deals 2d6 Fire damage.
As long as you hold this scimitar, you are proficient with it and have the Extra Attack feature. It has the Light and Finesse properties. The scimitar disappears after 1 minute. |
As an Action, a Water Elemental Myrmidon superimposes itself over you for a brief second, disappearing as you now thrust a trident made of frost at a target within 5ft of you. The Trident deals 2d6 Cold damage or 2d8 Cold damage if held with two hands. If this trident was thrown, it reappears in your hand after it hits a surface or a creature.
As long as you hold this trident, you are proficient with it and have the Extra Attack feature. It has the Finesse, Versatile and Thrown(20/60) properties. The trident disappears after 1 minute. |
As an Action an Air Elemental Myrmidon superimposes itself over you for a brief second, disappearing as you now swing a flail made of electricity at a target within 5ft of you. This flail deal 2d8 Lightning damage.
As long as you hold this flail, you are proficient with it and have the Extra Attack feature. It has the Finesse property. The flail disappears after 1 minute. |
As an Action, an Earth Elemental Myrmidon superimposes itself over you for a brief second, disappearing as you now swing a maul made of stone at a target within 5ft of you. This maul deals 3d6 Force damage. As long as you hold this maul, you are proficient with it and have the Extra Attack feature. It has the Finesse and Two-Handed properties. This maul disappears after 1 minute. |
| 9th | Aspect of the Elemental | As an Action, a miniature Phoenix blinks into existence and swoops down to peck at a target within 15ft of you. Roll to hit, with a bonus equal to your Spell Attack modifier. On a hit, deal 2d6 plus your Intelligence modifier of Fire damage. The target then ignites. Until a creature takes an action to douse the Fire, the target takes 1d10 Fire damage at the start of each of its turns. The Phoenix then disappears. | As an Action, a miniature Leviathan blinks into existence and stretches its tail out at a target within 15ft of you. Roll to hit, with a bonus equal to your Spell Attack modifier. On a hit, deal 2d12 plus your Intelligence modifier of Cold damage. The Leviathan then disappears. | As an Action, a miniature Elder Tempest blinks into existence and charges itself into a target within 15 ft of you. Roll to hit, with a bonus equal to your Spell Attack modifier. On a hit, deal 4d6 plus your Intelligence modifier of Lightning damage. The Elder Tempest then disappears. | As an Action, a miniature Zaratan blinks into existence and bites at a target within 15ft of you. Roll to hit, with a bonus equal to your Spell Attack modifier. On a hit, deal 4d8 plus your Intelligence modifier of Force damage. The Zaratan then disappears. |
| 12th | Aspect of the Elder | As an Action, a visage of a Phoenix appears in a space you can see within 100ft of you and explodes. Each creature, other than you and an amount you choose that equals up to your Intelligence modifier, within 60-feet of the origin point must make a Dexterity saving against your Spell Save DC, taking 4d10 plus your Intelligence modifier of fire damage on a failed save and becoming marked with a fiery aura, or half as much damage and no aura on a successful one. The fire ignites flammable objects in the area that aren't worn or carried.
Creatures marked by the fiery aura take 6d6 fire damage at the start of their next turn for 1 minute or until they use an action to make a Dexterity saving throw against your Spell Save DC in order to end the effect if they succeed. You may only use this Aspect once, regaining its use after a Long Rest. |
As an Action, the visage of a Leviathan coils around you and magically becomes a wall of freezing water centered on you. The wall is up 250 feet long, up to 250 feet high, and up to 50 feet thick. When the wall appears, all creatures, other than you and an amount you choose that equals up to your Intelligence modifier, within its area must each make a Strength saving throw against your Spell Save DC. A creature takes 6d10 plus your Intelligence modifier of cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
At the start of each of your turns after the wall appears, the wall, along with any other creatures in it aside from those previously chosen, moves 50 feet away from you. Any Huge or smaller creature inside the wall or whose space the wall enters when it moves must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your Spell Save DC or take 5d10 cold damage. A creature takes this damage no more than once on a turn. At the end of each turn the wall moves, the wall's height is reduced by 50 feet, and the damage creatures take from the wall on subsequent rounds is reduced by 1d10. When the wall reaches 0 feet in height, the effect ends. A creature caught in the wall can move by swimming. Because of the force of the wave, though, the creature, other than you and those previously chosen, must make a successful Strength (Athletics) check against your Spell Save DC to swim at all during that turn. You may only use this Aspect once, regaining its use after a Long Rest. |
As an Action, the visage of an Elder Tempest descends from the sky to rest above your space and converts itself into a storm as it roars. All other creatures, aside from an amount you choose that equals up to your Intelligence modifier, within 120 feet of you must each make a Dexterity saving throw against your Spell Save DC, 6d8 plus your Intelligence modifier of lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If a target's saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is also stunned until the end of its next turn.
You may only use this Aspect once, regaining its use after a Long Rest. |
As an Action, the visage of a Zaratan breaks through the ground under you and exhales rocky debris in a 90-foot cube. Each creature, aside from an amount you choose that equals up to your Intelligence modifier, in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Spell Save DC. A creature takes 6d10 plus your Intelligence modifier of force damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that fails the save by 5 or more is knocked prone.
You may only use this Aspect once, regaining its use after a Long Rest. |
- Energetic Companion
At level 3, your time in the Den of Elements has allowed you to use what is written in your Energy Edict to bring forth a minor manifestation of your Elemental Plane of study.
You may open your Tome of Symbols to the Energy Edict and copy an illustrative description of your Elemental Plane of study, using both Calligrapher's Supplies and Cartographer's Tools along with 100gp worth of silver dust that is consumed upon translation, onto 10 ivory cards as part of your long rest preparation with the Spellcasting feature. They gain the property of "silvered."
As a Bonus Action, you can toss a silvered card onto an unoccupied space within 30ft. The card burns up and creates a sphere made up of the element associated with your study(Fire, Water, Air, Earth) that takes up a 5ft radius, the silvered card you've chosen floating in the middle of that sphere. The elemental sphere has an AC of 13 plus half your Inscriber level(rounded down, minimum of 1), Hit Points equal to 5 times the total of your Inscriber level plus your Constitution Modifier, immunity to all conditions and a flying speed of 30ft (hover). You can use this feature twice. You regain expended uses on a long rest.
As a Bonus Action, you may command the sphere to move up to its maximum flying speed. If the sphere passes through a creature or a creature starts its turn inside the sphere, that creature takes 2d8 of the damage type of your elemental study(Fire, Cold, Lightning, Force). The sphere's movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks.
Whenever you cast a spell from the Expanded Elements Spell List feature and the additional companion triggers list that is of 2nd level or lower, you may have the sphere copy that spell, having it originate from itself. The sphere takes no damage from its own spell. The sphere can only use this ability twice.
You can end this ability early by using your Bonus Action to do so.
Additional Companion Triggers List.
| Spell Code Level | Phoenix Triggers | Leviathan Triggers | Elder Tempest Triggers | Zaratan Triggers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cantrip | Fire Bolt | Ray of Frost | Shocking Grasp | Sword Burst | |
| 1st | Burning Hands | Frost Fingers | Witch Bolt | Earth Tremor |
- Elemental Deck
At level 6, your research into one of the elements has allowed you to apply this power to your cards. Whenever you make a ranged weapon attack with an ivory card, you may add 1d4 of the damage type associated with your study(Fire, Cold, Lightning or Force) to the weapon attack. The weapon counts as magical with a +1 bonus to hit.
Additionally, on a hit when using the extra damage of this ability, you may deal an extra 2d8 of the damage type associated with your study(Fire, Cold, Lightning or Force). You can use this ability once, every time you finish a short or long rest.
The damage dice amount and bonus to hit of this feature increase by 1 at 10th level and again at 14th level.
- Energetic Companion Improvement.
At level 6, your Energetic Companion grows stronger. The sphere's damage increases to 3d10 of the damage type of your elemental study(Fire, Cold, Lightning, Force). The sphere's flying speed increases to 50ft(hover).
Whenever you cast a spell from the Expanded Elements Spell List feature and the additional companion triggers list that is of 3rd level or lower, you may have the sphere copy that spell, having it originate from itself. The sphere takes no damage from its own spell unless it is of 3rd level, in which case it automatically fails any saving throws the spell may have but has resistance to the spell's damage type. The sphere can only use this ability three times.
Once you reach 10th level with this class, having your Energetic Companion out allows you to add your Intelligence modifier to spell damage rolls you make against a creature. If your spell hits multiple creatures, pick one to add the modifier against. Your Elemental Companion does the same. Additionally, you can now use the feature three times, your sphere's damage increases to 4d12 of the damage type of your elemental study and your sphere can now use its spell copying ability four times.
- Aspect of the Plane
At level 14, you learn how to cast a powerful spell from the creature of your Elemental study. As an Action, as long as you are currently concentrating on Investiture of Flame, Investiture of Ice, Investiture of Wind or Investiture of Stone, you can end the spell early to cast one of these spells as if it were a normal casting of this spell but without using a spell slot, burning an aspect coded card in the process. You can use this feature once, regaining any expended uses after you finish a long rest.
The amount of times you can use this feature increases to twice once you reach level 18.
| Phoenix's Gift | Leviathan's Gift | Elder Tempest's Gift | Zaratan's Gift | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Storm | Tsunami | Whirlwind | Earthquake |
Den of Memories
|
|---|
| An Inscriber of the Den of Memories discreetly finishing their job. Art Credit to Trevor Darby and his novel series, The Nyepsium Wars. |
These Inscribers found how to be subtle with their cards to properly mess with the minds of their targets.
- Expanded Memories Spell List
A Den of Memories Inscriber lurks behind any corner they can find to strike their unaware target, using spell codes to trick, crush and alter the mind. This Inscriber gains access to the following spell codes, and may add them to their Tome of Symbols after they have reached the appropriate Inscriber level. They are Inscriber Spells for you.
| Inscriber Level | Spell Codes |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Crown of Madness, Mind Spike, Shatter |
| 5th | Thunder Step, Counterspell, Hypnotic Pattern |
| 7th | Tasha's Mind Whip, Arcane Eye, Confusion |
| 9th | Synaptic Static, Modify Memory, Mislead |
| 11th | Programmed Illusion, Otto's Irresistible Dance, Mental Prison |
- Memory Manuscript
At level 3, Upon joining the Den of Memories, you gain proficiency with Navigator's Tools and must use one to translate features associated with this Den that require translation onto an ivory card.
Your interest in the people's lives and minds has caught the attention of the Den, leading to your initiation and acceptance. You create a new chapter in your Tome of Symbols, called the Memory Manuscript. You chart star maps that serve as hidden mental inscriptions and can translate these star maps onto your ivory cards as part of your long rest preparation with the Spellcasting feature. You can prepare a total of 10 star coded cards whenever you finish a long rest.
You can awaken your star coded cards a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier by using a Bonus Action to burn them up, releasing the ability of the card to give you an edge in defeating your targets. You regain all expended uses of this ability after finishing a long rest.
| Star Chart | Description |
|---|---|
| Chart of the Ram | As the card burns, a golden string unravels from its charring image, wrapping around you or a target within 15ft of you. This string is silk and incredibly soft to the touch, yet only lasts a second as it fades away, healing whoever was wrapped in it 3d4 plus your Intelligence modifier. |
| Chart of the Bull | As the card burns, a faint silver glow emanates from your eyes, catching the attention of anyone who looks into them. For 1 minute, you have advantage in Persuasion and Deception checks, but disadvantage on Intimidation checks to anyone you interact with that can see you. The creature also must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell DC, if it wishes to attack you. On a fail, they cannot specifically attack you on their turn and must find a new target, if any. On a success, they are unaffected. They must attempt this saving throw for every attack attempt against you until the ability ends. If they were attacked by you on your most recent turn, they have advantage on their next saving throw. A creature is unaffected by this ability if it can't see or if it relies on sense other than sight, such as blindsight. |
| Chart of the Twins | As the card burns, a puff of smoke bursts around you for a second as an illusory double of yourself appears in your space. The double moves with you and mimics your actions, shifting position so it’s impossible to track which one of you is real. The double's AC is 10 plus your Dexterity modifier.
Each time a creature targets you with an attack during the ability's duration, roll a d20 to determine whether the attack instead targets you or the double. To have the double get hit, you must roll an 11 or higher. If an attack hits a double, the double is destroyed. A double can be destroyed only by an attack that hits it. It ignores all other damage and effects. All weapon attacks you make as long as the double exists are made with advantage. You can use your action to dismiss the illusory double. A creature is unaffected by this ability if it can’t see, if it relies on senses other than sight, such as blindsight, or if it can perceive illusions as false, as with truesight. |
| Chart of the Crab | As the card burns, your deck pouch shimmers with blackened light, making a star mark appear on one of your hands. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you may unleash the star mark, making it fade away and using this ability up, to deal an additional 2d6 force damage as the star flies out of nowhere into the creature's weak spot. You can do so only once per round on your turn. After you have used this ability, your movement does not provoke opportunity attacks for the rest of your turn.
The force damage increases when you reach certain levels in this class, increasing to 3d6 at 5th level, 5d6 at 10th level, and 8d6 at 15th level. |
- Fang of the Serpent Bearer
At 3rd level, your time in the Den of Memories has granted you access to add a new weapon to your magical ivory arsenal.
You may open your Tome of Symbols to the Memory Manuscript and copy an elaborate star chart of the Serpent Bearer, using both Calligrapher's Supplies and Navigator's Tools along with 100gp worth of silver dust that is consumed upon translation, onto 10 ivory cards as part of your long rest preparation with the Spellcasting feature. They gains the property of "silvered."
You learn a ritual that creates a magical bond between yourself and a dagger, handaxe or light hammer. You perform the ritual over the course of 1 hour, which can be done during a short rest. The weapon must be within your reach throughout the ritual, at the conclusion of which you touch the weapon, burn a silvered ivory card and forge the bond. The weapon itself now lined with both silver and ivory, if it wasn't already.
Once you have bonded the dagger, handaxe or light hammer to yourself, you can't be disarmed of that weapon unless you are incapacitated. If it is on the same plane of existence, you can summon that weapon as a bonus action on your turn, causing it to teleport instantly to your hand.
If you attempt to bond with a second dagger, handaxe or light hammer, you must break the bond with the previous one.
Additionally, you can now cast spells with your dagger, handaxe or light hammer the same way you would with an ivory card using the Card Casting feature. The dagger, handaxe or light hammer does not burn up when you cast a spell with it this way, instead substituting burning up any silvered card in your Deck Pouch for itself as part of any spell being cast. You have the choice to cast any spell you have coded on an ivory card this way.
At 6th level, this benefit extends to the Card Coating feature.
- Phantom Deck
At level 6, your prowess with linking your mind's power with your cards has given you the ability to alter them. Whenever you make a ranged weapon attack with an ivory card, you may add 1d4 of either Psychic or Thunder damage(your choice) to the weapon attack. The weapon counts as magical with a +1 bonus to hit.
Additionally, on a hit when using the extra damage of this ability, you may force the target to do a Wisdom saving throw at disadvantage against your Inscriber spell save DC, becoming Paralyzed until the end of your next turn if they fail. You can use this ability once, every time you finish a short or long rest.
The damage dice amount and bonus to hit of this feature increase by 1 at 10th level and again at 14th level.
- Secrets of the Stars
At level 6, your Memory Manuscript has new pages appear on it, revealing to you more star maps to chart onto your cards.
| Star Chart | Description |
|---|---|
| Chart of the Lion | As the card burns, your body becomes enveloped by a faint golden glow. Until you are hit successfully 3 times, your AC is increased by 2 and you have resistance to all damage types. On the last hit of this ability, a thunderous roar escapes from your glowing veil as it fades away, forcing creatures other than you within a 20ft radius to make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. On a fail they take 3d4 thunder damage. On a success, they take half damage. |
| Chart of the Harvester | As the card burns, curious fey magic twists around your arms, granting you the ability to sap life from others. On your next weapon attack, your target takes an additional 2d10 psychic damage and 1d10 necrotic damage. You receive healing equal to half the amount of the damage dealt this way. |
| Chart of the Scales | As the card burns, your left eyes glows a sinister black and your right eye glows a righteous white. Select a creature you can see within 30ft of you. Your eyes attempt to pierce through the creature's mind, forcing it to make an Intelligence saving throw against your spell save DC. On a fail, they take 4d4 psychic damage and you now know that creature's Ability Scores, resistances, immunities and weaknesses. On a success, they take no damage and have disadvantage on their next attack roll. |
| Chart of the Scorpion | As the card burns, a spectral scorpion's tail appears on your body, primed for combat. For 1 minute, you can attack with the tail as a Bonus Action. It deals 1d8 magical piercing damage plus your Dexterity modifier. On a hit, a creature must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 16. On a fail, they take 4d4 Posion damage and suffer from the poisoned condition. On a success, they take half damage and nothing else. |
At 10th level, you can burn an additional star coded card as part of the same bonus action to activate two different effects at once.
- Guide of the Stars
At level 14, your Memory Manuscript reveals its final pages, marking you as a higher up in the Den of Memories, able to guide your targets to the stars.
| Star Chart | Description |
|---|---|
| Chart of the Archer | As the card burns, your body glows a faint green, granting you the ability to call on the archer's prowess. For 1 minute, whenever you throw your dagger, handaxe or light hammer as part of a ranged weapon attack, a spectral copy flies right after it. You can make the copy attack either the same target or a different one. The spectral dagger, handaxe or light hammer deals damage equal to its weapon type plus an additional 2d8 psychic damage.
Once while this ability is active, you can do the following action: As an Action, you can throw your dagger, handaxe or light hammer into the air, making it transform into a spectral arrow, and choose a point within range. Hundreds of duplicates of this spectral arrow fall in a volley from above and then disappear. Each creature in a 60-foot-radius, 20-foot-high cylinder centered on that point must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 10d10 psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Your dagger, handaxe or light hammer then reappears in your hand. You cannot use Chart of the Archer again until you finish a long rest. |
| Chart of the Goat | As the card burns, mystical music fills the air around you. The music sounds like a dozen panflutes playing together in harmony. Choose up to 8 creatures within a 30ft radius centered around yourself. These creatures feel the musical energy flow through them, healing them for 8d10 plus your Intelligence modifier. Additionally, you may have up to two creatures within the same radius that hear the music make a Wisdom saving throw. If it fails the saving throw, it is charmed by you until 10 minutes pass or until you or your companions do anything harmful to it. The charmed creature regards you as a friendly acquaintance. When the spell ends, the creature knows it was charmed by you. This ability has no effect on deafened creatures.
You cannot use Chart of the Goat again until you finish a long rest. |
| Chart of the Water Carrier | As the card burns, light magical rainfall pours down onto 5 creatures of your choice with a 60ft radius centered around a point you can see. These creatures glow a faint blue for 1 hour. Should any of these creatures' hitpoints fall to 0, you can do one of two options to them, but only once per creature.
You can have the creature's hitpoint drop to 1 instead of 0. This creature also gains 40 temporary hitpoints. You can have the creature remain at 0, going unconscious but also becoming instantly stabilized. This creature gains 120 temporary hitpoints, but is still unconscious. You cannot use Chart of the Water Carrier again until you finish a long rest. |
| Chart of the Fish | As the card burns, you select two creatures within 50ft of you, including yourself. Silver light shimmers around the two, indicating that the two have been linked via magic for 10 minutes. You decide one to get resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, slashing, psychic, necrotic and force damage. The other gets resistance to fire, radiant, acid, cold, lightning and thunder damage.
While this link is active, a person linked this way can have the two linked targets swap resistances from this ability as a Bonus Action, so long as both willingly agree to do so. Additionally, while this link is active, a person linked this way can swap places with the other one linked this way as a Bonus Action, so long as both willingly agree to do so. Furthermore, while this link is active, both linked individuals can speak to each other telepathically, regardless of range. Both linked individuals can also understand the other no matter which language they speak. Finally, while this link is active, a person linked this way can heal the other 5d8 points as a Bonus Action, so long as both willingly agree to do so. This ability can only be used once by each person linked this way during the duration. You cannot use Chart of the Fish again until you finish a long rest. |
Once you reach 18th level, you can now awaken your star coded cards a number of times equal to twice your Intelligence modifier by using a Bonus Action to burn them up, releasing the ability of the card to give you an edge in defeating your targets. You regain all expended uses of this ability after finishing a long rest.
Inscriber Spell List
- Cantrips
produce flame, create bonfire, mage hand, sword burst, mind sliver, poison spray, infestation, acid splash, blade ward, chill touch, dancing lights, fire bolt, friends, frostbite, gust, mending, message, minor illusion, mold earth, prestidigitation, ray of frost, shape water, shocking grasp, thorn whip, thunderclap, toll the dead, true strike
- 1st Level
find familiar, cloud of daggers, unseen servant, fog cloud, dissonant whispers, detect magic, identify, absorb elements, alarm, bane, burning hands, catapult, cause fear, charm person, color spray, command, comprehend languages, create or destroy water, disguise self, earth tremor, expeditious retreat, faerie fire, false life, grease, frost fingers, illusory script, jump, longstrider, mage armor, magic missile, protection from evil and good, ray of sickness, sanctuary, shield, silent image, sleep, speak with animals,tasha's caustic brew, tasha's hideous laughter, thunderwave, witch bolt, zephyr strike
- 2nd Level
alter self, arcane lock, augury, blindness/deafness, blur, calm emotions, cloud of daggers, continual flame, darkness, darkvision, detect thoughts, dragon's breath, earthbind, enhance ability, enlarge/reduce, enthrall, find traps, gentle repose, hold person, invisibility, knock, levitate, locate object, magic mouth, magic weapon, melf's acid arrow, misty step, nystul's magic aura, phantasmal force, pyrotechnics, ray of enfeeblement, rope trick, see invisibility, silence, skywrite, spider climb, suggestion, web
- 3rd Level
glyph of warding, spirit shroud, animate dead, bestow curse, blink, catnap, clairvoyance, daylight, dispel magic, enemies abound, fear, feign death, fly, gaseous form, haste, intellect fortress, leomund's tiny hut, magic circle, major image, nondetection, protection from energy, remove curse, sending, slow, speak with dead, stinking cloud, tiny servant, tongues, vampiric touch, wall of sand, wall of water, water breathing, water walk, wind wall
- 4th Level
banishment, blight, charm monster, compulsion, dimension door, divination, dominate beast, elemental bane, fabricate, freedom of movement, greater invisibility, hallucinatory terrain, leomund's secret chest, locate creature, otiluke's resilient sphere, phantasmal killer, vitriolic sphere, wall of fire
- 5th Level
antilife shell, awaken, bigby's hand, cloudkill, contact other plane, creation, dawn, dominate person, dream, enervation, far step, insect plague, legend lore, passwall, rary's telepathic bond, scrying, seeming, skill empowerment, telekinesis, teleportation circle, wall of force, wall of light, wall of stone
- 6th Level
arcane gate, blade barrier, circle of death, contingency, disintegrate, drawmij's instant summons, eyebite, globe of invulnerability, guards and wards, harm, mass suggestion, primoridal ward, scatter, soul cage, sunbeam, tenser's transformation, true seeing, wall of ice, wind walk
- 7th Level
crown of stars, etherealness, forcecage, mirage arcane, plane shift, prismatic spray, project image, reverse gravity, sequester, symbol, teleport
- 8th Level
abi-dalzim's horrid wilting, antimagic field, antipathy/sympathy, demiplane, dominate monster, feeblemind, illusory dragon, maddening darkness, maze, mind blank, sunburst, telepathy
- 9th Level
astral projection, foresight, gate, imprisonment, invulnerability, prismatic wall, psychic scream, time stop, weird
Multiclassing
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Inscriber class, you must meet these prerequisites: 13 Intelligence and 13 Dexterity
Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Inscriber class, you gain the following proficiencies: ivory card, calligrapher's supplies and light armor
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