Arcane Bastion (5e Class)
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Arcane Bastion[edit]
A soldier in plate armor stands his ground atop the fortress wall, beholding a siege. The skies are darkened by a constant barrage of arrows and catapult rocks from the opposite side of the battle. One particularly massive stone finally cracks the gates of the fortress, leaving an opening for the invading army. The soldier leaps to the ground, landing in front of the shattered gates, looking at the angry eyes of the goblinoid horde. He lifts his hands forward, and a translucent wall of energy blocks the entrance, protecting the fortress he serves for as long as he can keep his mind focused.
A red dragon flies over the small town that failed to deliver his offering, and unleashes his vengeance. Chaos ensues, as some villagers run in desperation, while others try to save their loved ones from burning buildings. An arrow strikes one of the dragon's wings, while at the same time, a lighting bolt hits him squarely in the chest. The dragon, furiously, turns to the foolish adventurers that dared oppose him: an archer, a mage, and a warrior. He swoops down and unleashes the fiery breath that has felled a thousand foolhardy heroes before. But when the smoke clears, where the dragon expected to see their ashes, the warrior had lifted her shield, projecting a dome of force energy that had repelled the flames.
Arcane bastions are magic warriors, able to control raw magical energy to create barriers of force. These fierce guardians can use such arcane protections both to shield others or themselves, and some are even capable of use their control over magical force as a weapon against their enemies.
Mythical Knights[edit]
Arcane bastions are trained and ordained as Knights , usually making part of elite forces on the realms they serve under. They are often trained alongside Eldritch Knights, although with a difference in emphasis during their magical teachings, as their learning of magic is solely focused on evocation - the school of magic that teaches how to control energy. They use this arcane knowledge in techniques specifically created to control force energy, the raw arcane form, to create shields and deffensive barriers.
Creating an Arcane Bastion[edit]
When creating an Arcane Bastion, think about your training, and define who trained you and with what purpose. Some bastions are trained by wizards, serving as bodyguards of magic users. Others receive the ability to control force through divine means, being templars of the gods of war or protection. Finally, there are those who serve a realm, being trained by royal magicians, loyal to their nation and king.
How did you became an adventurer? Are you temporarely released from your official duties, adventuring during vacation? Adventuring is part of your training, a rite of passage to test your abilities? Maybe you have abandoned, or was dismissed, from your duties, for clashing with the order ideals, and now you use the knowledge gathered during training for your own benefit, and to protect your companions.
"Sphere of Safety" by Slawomir Maniak |
- Quick Build
You can make an arcane bastion quickly by following these suggestions. First, Intelligence should be your highest ability score, followed by Strength or Dexterity. Second, choose the Soldier background. Third, choose the chain mail, a longsword and a shield, two handaxes and a dungeoneer's pack.
Class Features
As a Arcane Bastion you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per Arcane Bastion level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution modifier per Arcane Bastion level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: All armor, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Constitution, Intelligence
Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Athletics, History, Investigation, Perception, and Survival
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) chain mail or (b) leather armor, longbow, and 20 arrows
- (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons
- (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) two handaxes
- (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
Level | Proficiency Bonus |
Features | Force Die |
---|---|---|---|
1st | +2 | Force Ward, Unarmored Defense, Force Blocks | 1d4 |
2nd | +2 | Force Barriers | 1d4 |
3rd | +2 | Warden Force | 1d4 |
4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d4 |
5th | +3 | Reactive | 1d6 |
6th | +3 | Restraining Energy | 1d6 |
7th | +3 | Warden Force Feature | 1d6 |
8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d6 |
9th | +4 | Defensive Bubble (1), Solid Energy | 1d6 |
10th | +4 | Warden Force Feature | 1d6 |
11th | +4 | Reactive (2) | 1d8 |
12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d8 |
13th | +5 | Defensive Bubble (2) | 1d8 |
14th | +5 | Force Rebuke | 1d8 |
15th | +5 | Warden Force Feature | 1d8 |
16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d8 |
17th | +6 | Defensive Bubble (3) | 1d10 |
18th | +6 | Warden Force Feature | 1d10 |
19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d10 |
20th | +6 | Reactive (3) | 1d10 |
Force Ward[edit]
Starting at 1st level, you can quickly deploy energy barriers to protect your allies. As a reaction when a creature within 30 feet of you takes damage, you can raise a force shield to protect that creature. The force shield reduces the damage taken by that creature by 1d4 + your Intelligence modifier. This damage reduction increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown on the Force Die column on the Force Bastion table.
Unarmored Defense[edit]
As long as you aren't wearing armor, your armor class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Intelligence modifier.
Force Blocks[edit]
Also at 1st level, you can use your action to create blocks of energy to protect you and your allies. These force blocks are impenetrable by ethereal creatures and can't be moved for a creature other than you. Each block occupies a 5-foot cube and have a number of hit points equal to your Intelligence modifier + a roll of your Force Die. You can create a number of these blocks equal to your level in this class, and regain your uses of this feature after finishing a long rest.
When your Force Block is reduced to 0 hit points by a creature within 5 feet of the block, the block explosion is triggered, and the creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against a DC equal 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier. On a failed save, it takes damage equal to your Force Die damage and is pushed 5 feet back. The damage is force.
The blocks can be created in a space within 30 feet. The space must be on the ground or above another force block. You can move the blocks 30 feet in each of your turns, without taking an action. Moving the blocks further than 30 feet from you causes them to disappear. They also disappear if you are knocked unconscious. You can also forcefully push the block on a creature within range. The creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw, or take 1d6 force damage for each 10 feet moved. The block takes the same amount of damage. If the block is destroyed as a result of this, it's also trigger the block's explosion.
In addition, any friendly creature of your choice can occupy the space created of the block. The area inside the block have the same properties as a "Tiny Hut" spell for creatures of your choice.
Force Barriers[edit]
At 2nd level, you can shape energy in the format of different types of arcane defenses, controlling the battlefield to grant advantages in combat to your allies. You have a number of uses of your force barriers equal to your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a short or a long rest.
You know two barriers of your choice from the barriers list, learning one additional one at 5th, 9th, 13th and 17th levels. Whenever a force barriers require a save DC, the DC is equal to your Force Block save DC.
Bastion Order[edit]
At 3rd level, you join an order of defenders that have a specific style of using the force barriers. Choose between the options shown at the end of the class description. Your choice give you features at 3rd level, and again at 7th, 10th, 15th and 18th levels.
Ability Score Increase[edit]
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.
Reactive[edit]
Starting at 5th level, you can take one additional reaction in each round. The number of reactions you can take increase to three at 11th level, and four at 20th level.
In addition, creatures provoke opportunity attacks when they enter the area within 5 feet of you.
Restraining Energy[edit]
At 6th level, you can use your ability to create barriers of energy to restrain an enemy, instead of causing damage. As a bonus action on your turn, you can choose one of the following effects:
- The target is unable to move until the end of its next turn.
- The target can't take an action until the end of its next turn.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or a long rest.
Defensive Bubble[edit]
At 9th level, you can engulf a creature in a defensive bubble of energy, that can potentially protect it from harm. As a reaction when a friendly creature within 30 feet is hit by an attack or fail a saving throw, you can reroll the attack die or the saving throw, changing the outcome. You must accept the new result. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest. You gain one additional use of this feature at 13th and another one at 17th level.
Solid Energy[edit]
Also at 9th level, you can concentrate in any of your Force Blocks (as if you were concentrating on a spell) while you are within 30 feet of it. Doing so grants that block the properties of a "Wall of Force". You can only concentrate on a single block at time, but any block within 5 feet of the block you are concentrating also gain the benefits of this feature. If you do this while a friendly creature is inside the Force Block, that creature is expelled on the nearest unoccupied space and take 1d10 force damage.
Force Rebuke[edit]
At 14th level, whenever a creature moves within your Force Ward range, you can send forward a wave of force energy using a reaction. The target must succeed on a Strength modifier, or take force damage equal to your Force die + your Intelligence modifier and have it's movement speed reduced to 0 until the end of its turn.
In addition, you can use a bonus action to cause the area within 30 feet of you to become difficult terrain to hostile creatures until the start of your next turn.
Force Barriers[edit]
- Force Ensnaring
When a hostile creature you can see within 30 feet roll initiative, you can spend one use of your Force Barrier to reduce its initiative roll for an amount equal to a roll of your Force Die.
- Force Repulsion
You create energy between two creatures, splitting them apart. Choose two creatures you can see within 30 feet. Both creatures must be within 5 feet of one another. Both creatures are pushed 5 feet from their original location. A hostile creature must also succeed on a Strength saving throw, or take force damage equal to your Force Die and be knocked prone.
- Enhanced Defense
When you create a Force Ward or a Force Block, you can spend one use of your Force Barrier to increase either the damage reduction or the blocks hit points, as appropriated, by another roll of your Force Die.
- Force Exoskeleton
When a creature within 30 feet make a Strength check or saving throw, you can use your reaction to add your Force Die to the result of that roll.
- Force Grasp
Whenever you reduce damage from a melee attack using your Force Ward, you can spend one use of your Force Barrier to attach the attacker to the warded creature. You add one additional force die to the damage reduction, and the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or have disadvantage on attack rolls against any creature other than the warded creature.
- Extended Ward
You can ward a creature in a range of 60 feet. You add one additional roll of your Force Die to the damage reduction.
- Force Shield
As a reaction against an attack made against any allied creature within 30 feet, you can increase that creature's AC by an amount equal to a roll of your Force Die against the triggering attack, potentially causing the attack to miss.
- Deflect
When a creature within 30 feet is targeted by a spell attack or an effect that requires a Dexterity saving throw, you can use your reaction to reduce the result of the attack or increase the result of that check for one affected creature by an amount equal to a roll of your Force Die.
- Reflect
When a creature within 30 feet is targeted by a spell attack, you can use your reaction to reflect that attack back to the attacker. You must make a Intelligence saving throw against a DC equal the creature's attack roll. On a success, the attack is turned against the attacker, using the same attack roll.
Bastion Orders[edit]
Mystics[edit]
The order of mystics is the order of bastions more knowlegeable about the workings of magic. Although they specialize in force evocation, they have a broader training in other schools of magic, learning deffensive spells across magical fields.
- Mystic's Buckler
Starting at 3rd level, the bastion can concentrate its arcane energy into a buckler made out of pure energy using your bonus action. Doing so increases your AC in +2 for the next minute. You can't benefit from shields while using the buckler, and must have one hand free to wield it.
In addition, you can quickly raise the buckler as a reaction to cancel the damage of a magic missile or to reduce force damage taken by you to half.
- Defensive Magic
Starting at 3rd level, you learn the following cantrips: resistance and blade ward. In addition, you learn two defensive spells from the Arcane Bastion list. You learn 2 additional ones at 7th, 10th, 15th and 18th levels. Whenever you learn a new Defensive Magic spell, you can replace one spell you know for a new one.
You gain a number of Magic Points equal to 2 per level you have in this class (starting with 6 points), which you can use to conjure your Defensive Magic. You regain any point spent after finishing a long rest. Bellow are presented the spells you can choose and their cost.
- 2 points (3rd level): absorb elements, false life, mage armor, sanctuary, shield, shield of faith,
- 3 points (5th level): arcane lock, protection from poison, warding bond, spiritual weapon
- 5 points (9th level): beacon of hope, intellect fortress, magic circle, protection from energy
- 6 points (13th level): death ward, otiluke's resilient sphere, stoneskin
- 7 points (17th level): bigby's hand, wall of force
- Diligent Protector
At 7th level, you can cast your Bastion cantrips as a bonus action on your turn. In addition, any defensive magic you have that has a range of self can be cast on a allied creature within 30 feet.
- Arcane Ward
At 10th level, whenever you use your Arcane Ward on a creature, that creature have advantage on the next saving throw it makes against spells and magical effect s until the start of your next turn.
- Force Prison
At 15th level, whenever you use your Restraining Force on a creature, you also encase that creature, if it has medium size or lower, on a Force Barrier. If the creature is larger than medium, it takes force damage equal to your Intelligence modifier + your Force Die when you cast this spell.
You can encase a creature larger than medium, if you spend additional uses of your Force Barrier feature: 3 additional uses for Large, 7 for huge, 11 for gargantuan. The force prison for larger creatures have a number of hit points equal to the number of Force Barrier uses x (your force die + your Intelligence modifier).
- Reactive Magic
At 18th level, you can cast your Defensive Magic spells that require you to spend points as a reaction. You can also spend 1 Magic Point to cast a Defensive Magic cantrip as a reaction on your turn.
Kineticist[edit]
Kineticists are wardens that learn how to fuel their defensive abilities through the use of movement. They learn how to absorb attacks made against them and store that energy, converting it into force. Fighting against a kineticist often seems an exercise in futility, since their resistence and energy only grows with punishment received.
Kineticists can also convert the force in kinetic energy, empowering their muscles and increasing their physical power, making them formidable oponents.
- Kinetic Absorption
You can use your force wards to slowly absorb the energy of the impacts against it. At 3rd level, whenever you use your Force Ward, you gain 1 kinetic point. Once you have 10 kinetic points, you regain 1 use of your Force Barrier feature.
- Force Enhancement
Starting at 7th level, you can use your force control to help creatures to move trough space. You can use your bonus action to allow a creature within 30 feet to add a bonus equal to your Force Die to its next Strength and Dexterity saving throws, Strength (Athletics) check and Dexterity (Acrobatics) and (Stealth) checks.
- Kinetic Storage
Starting at 10th level, when a creature hit you with an attack, you can use your reaction to reduce that damage by 1d10 + your Intelligence modifier + your Arcane Bastion level. Your next attack made until the end of your next turn deal additional damage equal to the amount reduced with this reaction.
- Kinetic Master
Starting at 15th level, you gain 2 kinetic points, instead of 1, when using your Kinetic Absorption feature.
In addition, whenever you have kinetic points, you can add a bonus to your weapon attack rolls equal to the amount of kinetic points you have. You can deal this additional damage only once per turn.
- Armor of Force
At 18th level, your body is constantly surrounded by a force field. You gain 5 temporary hit points at the start of each turn, while you are conscious. While you have these temporary hit points, you are immune to force damage, and have resistance to the damage of spells.
Divine Shield[edit]
Divine shields are militant acolytes, servants of religious temples. Their powers come not only through training, but is given by the gods themselves. They can also use their control over evocation magic to unleash positive energy from the upper planes, allowing them to mend wounds.
- Religious Acolyte
At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in Religion. In addition, you learn one cantrip from the cleric's spell list.
- Holy Barriers
Starting at 3rd level, whenever you protect a creature with a Force Barrier, the target regains a number of hit points equal to your Force Die + your Intelligence modifier.
- Healing Power
Also at 3rd level, you gain the ability to mend the wounds of your allies by touch, with your healing powers. You can use this power to cause one creature you touch to regain hit points equal to your Force Die + your Intelligence modifier.
In addition, whenever a creature touch a Force Block you have created, you can use your Healing Power on that creature, as a reaction.
You can use this ability three times, regaining your uses after finishing a short or a long rest.
- Celestial Armor
Starting at 7th level, you can keep your allies alive with your force powers. Once in each turn, you can use a bonus action to give a number of temporary hit points to an ally equal to your Intelligence modifier + your Force Die. These temporary hit points last for 1 minute.
- Guardian Angel
At 10th level, whenever you use your Force Barriers feature, you can use your reaction to summon spectral wings made out of light, and fly up to your movement speed. You must end your movement on the ground, or else you fall. If you end your movement within 5 feet of a hostile creature, you can make a melee weapon attack as part of the same reaction.
Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a short or a long rest. You can use this feature twice between rests at 18th level.
- Blessing Shield
At 15th level, whenever you use your Force Barrier on a creature, that creature is blessed, and add 1d4 to all attack rolls, ability checks and saving throws it makes until the end of your next turn.
- Celestial Form
At 18th level, you can spend six uses of your Force Barrier at once, to cast tasha's otherworldly guise (tasha's cauldron of everything, page 116). Once you do so, you can't do it again until you finish a long rest.
Multiclassing[edit]
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Arcane Bastion class, you must meet these prerequisites: Constitution 13, Intelligence 13
Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Arcane Bastion class, you gain the following proficiencies: Light armor, medium armor, shields, simple weapons, martial weapons
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