Ancient Soul (5e Class)

Ancient Soul

Born for greatness, some individuals are innately paragons of a specific attribute. Ancient Souls are creatures born with one of the Three Ancient Souls: Might, Speed, and Intellect. These ancient souls are spirits from individuals of extreme power, that excelled in one of those aspects, being the strongest, fastest or wisest of their kind. Their souls passed through a process of refinement and evolution, after generations inside the cycle of death and rebirth, with each new vessel for the spirit developing the already great potential inside these souls.

There are some organizations built with the purpose of track and find bearers of ancient spirits, in order to train and help them to achieve their true potential, although these organizations are few and far between. Some are monasteries, dedicated to spiritual perfection, and believing that the cultivation of the ancient soul should be the goal of any creature that has a soul, and thus train both bearers and not bearers of ancient souls alike, with the purpose of eliciting the growth in the power of both. Others are temples, who pursue ancient soul vessels as a form of worship, treating those who possess that soul as some type of deity. Similarly there are some nations that are ruled by ancient soul bearers, and have developed mechanisms to detect those creatures. Lastly, there are those who just seek to use the great power and potential of those individuals for their own nefarious reasons.

Creating an Ancient Soul

When creating an ancient soul, define what's your lineage, if you have one possible to track. What were the great vessels of the ancient soul before you, and how their great deeds, or vile acts, define your expectations about yourself, and the expectations of others about you. If you have great heroes and virtuous saints as former bearers of your soul, you probably will be expected to follow their footsteps. This can lead to a great receptiveness of people you meet, that will treat you with reverence and kindness, but can be a double sided issue, since the amount of pressure to uphold the legacy left by your lineage can prove itself to be unbearable. However, if your legacy is made up of villains and traitors, you will be treated with fear and aggressiveness, but the low expectations can be freeing for you.

Also, how did you developed your Ancient Soul? Have you been trained on a monastery, were your master used to be a disciple of the former vessel for your spirit? Are you member of royalty, fleeing from your responsibilities of leading your people, like ancient souls before you have done? Are you fleeing an order dedicated to destroy you, due to the mistakes committed by former vessels of your spirit?

Quick Build

You can make an Ancient Soul of Strength quickly by following these suggestions. First, your highest ability score is determined by your chosen ancient soul: Strength (Might), Intelligence (Intellect) or Dexterity (Speed). Your second highest score should be Constitution. Second, choose the Folk Hero background.

Class Features

As a Ancient Soul you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per Ancient Soul level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Ancient Soul level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor, medium armor
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Depends on your chosen Ancient Soul
Skills: Choose any two

Equipment

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

• (a) a greatsword or (b) a longsword and a shield or (c) two martial weapons
• (a) a longbow and quiver with 20 arrows or (b) two simple weapons
• (a) an explorer's pack or (b) a dungeoneer's pack
• (a) leather armor or (b) scale mail
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 4d4 x 10 in funds.

Table: The Ancient Soul

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Charge points	Features
1st	+2	-	Ancient Soul, Increasing Soul Presence
2nd	+2	2	Ancient Soul Charge
3rd	+2	3	Bonded Weaponry
4th	+2	4	Ability Score Improvement
5th	+3	5	Extra Attack
6th	+3	6	Unleashed Soul
7th	+3	7	Ancient Soul Feature
8th	+3	8	Ability Score Improvement
9th	+4	9	Ancient Soul Feature
10th	+4	10	Bonded Weaponry
11th	+4	11	Soul Capacity 50%
12th	+4	12	Ability Score Improvement
13th	+5	13	Ancient Soul Feature
14th	+5	14	True Skill
15th	+5	15	Soul Recharge
16th	+5	16	Ability Score Improvement
17th	+6	17	Ancient Soul Feature
18th	+6	18	True Soul
19th	+6	19	Ability Score Improvement
20th	+6	20	Deific Form

Ancient Soul

Starting at 1st level, you must choose the ancient soul. Choose between ancient soul of Might, Speed or Intellect. Your choice grants you features at 1st-level, and again at 2nd, 7th, 9th, 13th and 17th levels.

Ancient Soul Ability Score

Some class features affect an specific ability score. Your chosen Ancient Soul have an specific ability score enhanced by your class features: Strength (Might Ancient Soul), Dexterity (Speed Ancient Soul) or Intelligence (Intellect Ancient Soul).

Ancient Soul Saving Throw Proficiency

Might: Strength and Constitution

Intellect: Intelligence and Wisdom

Speed: Dexterity and Intelligence

Increasing Soul Presence

When you reach 1st level, you start to notice physical signs of the spirit within you, and an aura surrounds your body. You can activate this aura for 1 minute, as a bonus action.

You shed an aura of 10-foot radius around you. You and any friendly creature inside your aura gain advantage on checks and saving throws made with your Ancient Soul ability score.

In addition, your attacks deal additional 1d4 damage, from your Charged Strike type.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining your uses after finishing a long rest.

Ancient Soul Charge

At 2nd level, the power of your ancient soul is measured by an amount of charge points you have. Some of your class abilities require you to spend soul points. When you use your charge point, it is spent until you finish a short or a long rest.

You start by knowing one of such features: the Charged Strike. Your chosen Ancient Soul will give your more specific techniques.

Charged Strike

When you hit a creature with your Bonding Weaponry, you can spend a number of charges up to your proficiency bonus to deal additional damage equal to 1d6 per charge spent.

This additional damage type depend on your ancient soul: bludgeoning or the same of the weapon type (Might), slashing or the same of the weapon type (Speed) or either force or psychic (Intellect).

Bonded Weaponry

Your new soul connection has given you the power to bond to a weapon of your choice. Starting at 3rd level, after finishing a long rest, you can touch one weapon of your choice, that weapon is now bonded to you. While bonded you can't be disarmed of the weapon, and you can teleport it into your hands as a bonus action. Any weapon bonded to you counts as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances and immunities to non-magical damage.

When attacking with the bonded weapon, you can use your Ancient Soul ability score, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for attacks and damage rolls.

You also gain a +1 to attack rolls and damage rolls. This bonus is not cumulative with bonus for attacks and damage of magic weapons or armor. At 10th level, this increases to +2.

Extra Attack

At 5th level you can attack twice instead of once when you take the attack action on your turn.

Unleashed Soul

At 6th level, when you fail an attack roll, ability check or saving throw using your Ancient Soul ability score, you can give yourself +10 to that roll, potentially changing the outcome.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or a long rest.

In addition, when your aura is active, you can use this ability to change the roll of another creature inside the aura, as a reaction.

Soul Capacity 50%

Starting at 11th level your ancient soul start to unleash is true potential. You gain the following benefits:

• The range of your aura increases to 15 feet.

• You deal additional 2d4 damage from your Charged Strike type while the aura is active.

• If you start your turn with 0 charge points, you regain 1 charge point.

• Any friendly creature inside the aura can spend your Charge points if you are willing, to use your Ancient Soul charge techniques.

True Skill

At 14th level, whenever you make an ability check with your Ancient Soul ability score, if you roll a 9 or lower you can choose a 10 instead.

Soul Recharge

Starting at 15th level, whenever you roll initiative and have no charge points, you regain 4 points.

True Ancient Soul

At 18th level, you finally unleash the true power of your ancient soul. You gain the following benefits:

• The range of your aura increases to 30 feet.
• The additional damage of your strikes increases to 3d4.
• If you start your turn with 0 charge points, you regain 2 charge points.

Deific Form

Starting at 20th level, you can assume the true potential of your ancient soul. When you activate your soul presence, you can assume your Deific Form as part of the same bonus action, gaining the following benefits:

• All your Ancient Soul charge techniques with a cost of 2 charge points or lower can be used at will, once on your turn, without taking an action.
• Your Ancient Soul ability score becomes 30 for the duration.

Ancient Souls

Ancient Soul Might

You are a vessel for the ancient soul of might. Your soul has inhabited vessels famed for their great physical deeds. They were often powerful warriors and fighters, or heroes who saved countless lives through the use of their muscles.

Thick Muscles

Your link with the spirit of strength has caused your own muscles to grow larger than most. Starting at 1st level you are able to add your Strength modifier, instead of your Dexterity modifier to your AC, as long as you are not wearing heavy armor.

Fighting Style - Great Weapon Fighting

At 1st level, when wielding a two-handed weapon, you can reroll a roll of a 1 or 2, but must take the new roll, even if it is also a 1 or 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property.

Might Charge Techniques

Mighty Lift. You can spend 1 charge point as a bonus action to give yourself advantage on a Strength check.

Devastating Blow. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack using Strength, you can spend 1 charge point to push the creature 10 feet back or knock it prone.

Sustain. You can spend 1 charge point as a reaction to give yourself advantage on a Strength saving throw or contested Strength check.

Powerful Leap. You can spend 1 charge point to gain a flying speed equal to your movement speed until the end of your turn. When you use this feature, you also gain immunity to fall damage up to 30 feet.

Muscle Enlargement. You can spend 1 charge point as a bonus action to increase your size to large, for 1 minute. At 5th level, you can spend 2 charge points to increase your size to huge.

Reckless Attack

Also at 2nd level, when you take the attack action on your turn before rolling you can choose to attack recklessly, if you do so you gain advantage on the attack roll, but all attacks against you until your next turn also have advantage against you.

Bonded Weaponry - Buster Blade

Starting at 3rd level, when you bond with a greatsword, you can transform it into a buster blade. The buster blade causes 2d8 slashing damage on a hit.

Giant's Might

Starting at 7th level, you gain proficiency with Athletics, and add twice your proficiency bonus in checks made with this skill.

In addition, you are considered one size larger for the purposes of carrying, dragging or lifting weights, and for contested Athletics (Strength) checks.

Brutal Critical

Your attacks have become deadlier. At 9th level when you score a critical hit with a melee weapon, you roll an extra damage die of the weapons type and add it to the total damage done. At 17th level you can roll two additional dice.

Ruthless Attacking

Starting at 13th level, whenever you have advantage on your attack roll using Strength, you can choose to forgo the advantage to increase the damage in +10 on a hit, or to make two attacks, instead of one.

Brutality

Starting at 17th level, once in each of your turns you can use your Charged Strike spending one less charge point (to a minimum of 0).

Ancient Soul Speed

As a vessel for the ancient soul of speed, you have a legacy of great athletes and nomads behind you. The legacy of the ancient soul is also made up for skilled blademasters, agile thieves and any legendary figure who used agility and dexterity to accomplish a goal.

Quick Movement

Starting at 1st level, your movement speed increases by an amount equal to 5 feet x your proficiency bonus. In addition, starting at 9th level you can walk through the surface of the water and up walls as if it was firm ground.

Speed Charge Techniques

Hyperspeed Strike. You can spend 1 charge point to make two attacks with a light weapon using your bonus action.

Fast Dash. You can spend 1 charge point to take the Dash action as a bonus action.

Expeditious Retreat. You can spend 1 charge point to take the Disengage action as a bonus action.

Fast Evasion. You can spend 1 charge point to take the Dodge action as a bonus action.

Quick Fingers. You can spend 1 charge point to make an object interaction as a bonus action.

Surge

Starting at 2nd level, you have learned to boost your own speed. You can take one additional action or bonus action on your turn. Once you do this, you can't do it again until you finish a short or a long rest, unless you spend 10 charge points to do so again. At 17th level, you can do it twice per rest.

Lightning Attacks

Starting at 2nd level your speed can change the damage you do with attacks. You can change your damage type with your quick strike to piercing, slashing, or lightning damage. As well the attacks now count as magical if they weren't already. You can only activate this ability once per turn.

Bonded Weaponry - Dual Swords

At 3rd level, you can bond with a pair of longswords to create your ancient soul weapon: the dual katanas. These swords gain the light and finesse property on your hands, while bonded.

Evasion

Starting at 7th level, when you are forced to make a dexterity save on taking damage, on a success you take no damage, and only half on a failed save.

Speeding Blow

Starting at 9th level, if you haven't used your action to attack or cast a spell, you can make an attack with a weapon as a bonus action.

Striking Mobility

Starting at 13th level, when you use your quick strike ability, you can continue your movement away from the enemy without provoking an opportunity attack.

Uncanny Dodge

Starting at 17th level, When you are hit by an attack that does damage, you can use your reaction to halve the damage of the attack.

Ancient Soul Intellect

Being the vessel for the Intellect Ancient Soul is being blessed with deep and ancient knowledge. Your legacy is made up of thinkers and scholars, and for heroes that have defeated opponents and surpassed obstacles through the use of smarts and cunning.

Brilliance

Starting at 1st level, whenever you make an Intelligence check and rolls below a number equal to your Intelligence modifier + your proficiency bonus, you can choose that number instead.

Intellect Charge Techniques

At 2nd level, you can use the following charge techniques:

Magic. You can cast any spell from the Wizard's spell list with a level equal to your proficiency bonus - 1. You must spend an amount of charge points equal to twice the level of the spell to cast it at its minimum level.

Key Observance. You can spend 1 charge point as a bonus action to peer into the enemy to find out something in relation to you. You can find out if it has a higher or lower stat than you that you choose (including HP and AC), if it has more or less attacks than you, if it has any vulnerabilities, or if it has any resistances.

Warping Movement. Your spirit gives you intense magical power. If you haven't moved on your turn, you can choose to teleport to a unoccupied space you can see within 30 feet. Doing so cost you 1 charge point. After the teleport, your movement speed is reduced to 0.

Magic

From 2nd level onward, you gain the ability to cast spells. You calculate your save DC and spell attacks as follows:

Spell Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier.

Spell Attack Bonus = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier.

Versatile Knowledge

Starting at 2nd level, your mind is extremely flexible and adaptable. Choose a number of languages, tool proficiency, skill proficiency or cantrips equal to your proficiency bonus. You can choose any combination of these (such as two cantrips or one cantrip and one language for example).

You know the cantrip, tool proficiency, language or skill proficiency until you finish your next long rest. You can replace the knowledge learned during a short rest.

If you choose a language, you can read, speak and write in that language. If you choose a cantrip, you can add your Intelligence modifier to the damage rolls with it, if you don't already add an ability modifier to it). If you choose a tool or skill, your proficiency bonus is doubled with that skill, and you can use your Intelligence, instead of the normal ability used for that skill.

Bonded Weaponry - Psycho Blade

At 3rd level, you can bond with any type of one handed sword to create a psycho blade. Whenever you attack with the psycho blade, you can choose to deal psychic damage, instead of slashing. In addition, the psycho blade gain the reach property. When attacking at reach, you always deal psychic damage.

Mental Speed

Starting at 7th level, you add your Intelligence modifier, instead of Dexterity, to your initiative rolls and to your AC.

Superior Knowledge

Starting at 9th level, you can choose to add your Intelligence modifier as a bonus to any ability check you make.

In addition, you can replace one of your choices for Versatile Knowledge for another using your bonus action, a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of once).

Signature Spell

Starting at 13th level, you can choose a 1st-level and 2nd-level spells from the wizard's spell list, that require an action to cast. You can cast the chosen spells without spending a spell slot.

Secret Arcana

At 17th level, you can cast a spell of 7th-level or lower from the Wizard's spell list. Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Ancient Soul class, you must meet these prerequisites: 13 on your Ancient Soul ability score of choice.

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Ancient Soul class, you gain the following proficiencies: Light armor, medium armor, shields, simple weapons, martial weapons.

5.00

(one vote)

---

Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Classes