Ascendant (5e Class)

Ascendant

Ascendants are cursed or blessed with the ability to transform their body to gain the powers of monsters. Some of them sought this power themselves, and obtained it through occult rituals or pacts with powerful beings, others were subjected to such rituals by others or received the power as a blessing or curse from a powerful being. No matter how they obtained the power, most ascendants are outcasts from society due to their monstrous abilities, and many of them ultimately gain the ability to transform completely.

Creating an Ascendant

How has you character received this power? Why do they seek to pursue it further? An ascendant may be the result of a divine blessing, or an occult ritual, or many other things - consider the impact this has on their relation to society, and consider how this relation may change as their appearance grows closer and closer to that of their monstrous heritage.

Quick Build

You can make an ascendant quickly by following these suggestions. First, Strength should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the Acolyte background. Third, choose Light Crossbow and Dungeoneer's Pack.

Class Features

As a ascendant you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

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

Proficiencies

Armor: none
Weapons: simple weapons
Tools: none
Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Perception and Religion,.

Equipment

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

• (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
• (a) a Scholar's Pack or (b) a Dungeoneer's Pack or (c) Explorer's Pack
• any simple weapon and two daggers
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 4d4x10gp in funds.

Table: The ascendant

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Transformations	Features
1st	+2	-	Heritage, Natural Armor, Natural Weapon
2nd	+2	2	Transformations
3rd	+2	2	Ascendancy Path (x1)
4th	+2	3	Ability Score Improvement
5th	+3	3	Multiattack
6th	+3	4	Empowered Transformations, Transformation Improvement
7th	+3	4	Heritage Feature
8th	+3	5	Ability Score Improvement
9th	+4	5	Legendary Ascendant (x1)
10th	+4	6	Ascendancy Path (x2)
11th	+4	6	Transformations Improvement
12th	+4	7	Ability Score Improvement
13th	+5	7	Legendary Ascendant (x2)
14th	+5	8	Heritage Feature
15th	+5	8	Transformations Improvement
16th	+5	9	Ability Score Improvement
17th	+6	9	Legendary Ascendant (x3)
18th	+6	10	Heritage Feature
19th	+6	11	Ability Score Improvement
20th	+6	12	Ascension

Heritage

At 1st level you choose your ascendancy heritage from the following Heritages, all detailed at the end of the class description Your heritage grants you a list of transformations, which improves and grows when you reach 6th level, and again at 10th and 15th level, as well as features at 1st, 7th, 14th and 18th level.

Natural Armor

The first trait you gain from Heritage is its natural defences. While not wearing armor, your AC is equal to 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier, and your skin has visibly taken on the qualities of your heritage (the scales of a dragon, for instance). This doesn’t count against the number of transformations.

Natural Weapon

Monsters typically use parts of their own body to fight with, so an Ascendant does the same. Choose a Transformation from your heritage that grants you a natural weapon. You can use this as described by the Transformation feature, and it doesn’t count against the number of transformations. Unless stated otherwise, you are proficient in any natural weapons granted by transformations, and you use Strength for attack and damage rolls with them.

Transformations

Starting from 2nd level, you are able to transform, gaining traits from your heritage. Choose 2 transformations from the transformation list granted by your heritage. You can use each transformation as a bonus action, and they are permanent unless you spend 1 minute concentrating to end each effect. You cannot choose a transformation you don’t meet the prerequisites for, and you cannot use or maintain a transformation if you no longer meet the prerequisites (the transformation then ends immediately). If a transformation refers to a level, the level it refers to is your level in ascendant.

Some of your transformations and heritage features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Transformation DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier

As you level up, the number of transformations you're able to perform increases, as by the "Transformations" column in the level table. Whenever you gain a level in Ascendant, you can choose to replace one of your transformations with another transformation available to you, as the transformative power fluctuates and shifts with your growth.

Ascendancy Path

Each ascendant seeks the powers granted by transformation for a different reason, and this reason alters their transformations. At 3rd level you choose one of the following paths:

Might

Your natural weapons become particularly ferocious, improving the damage die by one step in the following order: 1d4 -> 1d6 -> 1d8 -> 1d10 -> 1d12 or 2d6 -> 2d8 etc.

Protection

When another creature within your reach would take damage, you can use your reaction to attempt to deflect the damage with a natural weapon the creature is within reach of. Roll damage for the natural weapon, and reduce the damage the creature would take by that amount.

Control

When other creatures make a saving throw against an effect from your transformation or heritage feature, you can choose a number of them up to your Constitution modifier (minimum 1). Those creatures automatically succeed in the saving throw, and take no damage if they would normally take half on a successful save..

Resilience

As a bonus action, you can grant yourself a number of Temporary Hit Points equal to your level in Ascendant plus your Constitution modifier. You can do this once, and regain use of this after finishing a short or long rest.

At 10th level, you can choose a second Ascendancy Path to benefit from. You can’t benefit from the same path more than once.

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.

Multiattack

At 5th level you become unerringly swift with your natural weapons. Instead of taking the Attack action, you can take the Multiattack action, which allows you to make attacks with 2 different natural weapons. Additionally, when you would make an attack with a natural weapon using this action, you can instead initiate a Contest, such as a grapple or shove, with the same natural weapon.

Empowered Transformations

Starting from 6th level, your natural weapons granted by this class are considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical damage and attacks.

Legendary Ascendant

Beginning at 9th level, you can reroll a saving throw that you fail. If you do so, you must use the new roll, and you can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

You can use this feature twice between long rests starting at 13th level and three times between long rests starting at 17th level.

Ascension

At 20th level, you can use an action to transform into a creature of a type determined by your Heritage as if you cast True Polymorph on yourself, and maintained concentration for the duration, but it is not considered the effect of a spell. You can end this transformation in the same way as with your Transformations feature. You can do this once, and regain use of it once you finish a Long Rest.

Heritages

Draconic Heritage

An ascendant with draconic heritage follows the path of some of the most ancient, powerful and legendary creatures in all the realms, but this also corrupts them with a growing lust for wealth and treasure, and a desire to make a lair to hoard it in.

One with the Dragons

You learn Draconic, and choose a type of dragon to be your heritage, which changes some features granted by this heritage. Your transformations make the affected body parts look like parts of your type of dragon. At the end of a Short or Long rest, you can change your choice of dragon type. Your natural armor takes the form of dragon scales, and your creature type for the Ascension feature is Dragon.

Dragon’s Breath

As an action, you can momentarily transform your lungs and exhale destructive energy. Your dragon type determines the size, shape, and damage type of the exhalation, and the range is 15ft. At 7th level the range increases to 30ft, at 14th it increases to 60ft and at 18th level it increases to 90ft.

When you use your breath weapon, each creature in the area of the exhalation must make a saving throw, the type of which is determined by your dragon type. The DC is 8 + your Proficiency modifier + your Constitution modifier. A creature takes 2d8 damage on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one. This damage increases by 1d8 after every 2 further levels you gain in ascendant.

You can use this feature once, and regain use of it once you finish a short or long rest. Additionally, you can attempt to regain use of it by recharging as a bonus action: roll 1d6, and if the result is a 6 you regain use of it. You can only successfully recharge a number of times up to your proficiency bonus, and regain spent recharges at the end of a long rest. At 7th level, the feature improves to also successfully recharge on a 5, and similarly at 14th and 18th level to successfully recharge on a 4 and a 3 respectively.

Dragon	Breath Weapon	Damage Type
Black, Copper	5ft. line (Dex. save)	Acid
Blue, Bronze	5ft. line (Dex. save)	Lightning
Brass	5ft. line (Dex. save)	Fire
Red, Gold	Cone (Dex. save)	Fire
White, Silver	Cone (Con. save)	Cold
Green	Cone (Con. save)	Poison

Superior Dragon

Starting from 7th level, you gain additional benefits from your type of dragon. If your type is a chromatic dragon, once per turn when you hit a creature with a natural weapon attack you can deal an additional 1d6 damage of the same type as your Dragon’s Breath. This damage increases to 1d8 at 14th level, and 1d10 at 18th level. If your type is a metallic dragon, you can apply the appropriate effects from the table below in place of the usual effects of your Dragon’s Breath, changing the shape to a cone if it isn’t already

Dragon	Alternate Effect
Copper	Choose up to 6 creatures in the cone’s area. Each target must make a Wisdom Saving Throw or suffer the effects of *Slow* for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Bronze	Each creature in the cone must make a Strength saving throw or be pushed away from you a distance equal to the cone’s range.
Brass	Instead of creatures in the cone making a Saving Throw, roll the damage of your Dragon’s Breath twice. Creatures in the area fall unconscious as if you cast *Sleep* on the area, and rolled the sum of those rolls..
Gold	Each creature in the cone must make a Strength saving throw or have disadvantage on Strength-based attack rolls, Strength checks, and Strength saving throws for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Silver	Choose a number of creatures in the area up to your Proficiency Bonus (non-humanoids count as 2 creatures for this). Each target must make a Wisdom saving throw or be Paralyzed for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Dragon’s Spirit

Starting from 14th level, as an action, you can force each creature of your choice within 120 ft. that is aware of you to make a Wisdom saving throw. Each creature that fails the save is frightened for 1 minute, and can repeat the save at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature succeeds on the save or the effect otherwise ends for it, they cannot be affected by this feature for the next 24 hours.

Legendary Dragon

Starting from 18th level, as a reaction at the end of another creature’s turn you can:

• Take the Search action
• Use the attack from Dragon’s Tail, if you have it
• Use the action from Dragon’s Wings, if you have it

Transformations

Dragon’s Awareness You gain a dragon’s supernatural perception, transforming your ears and eyes, granting you darkvision 60ft. and proficiency in Wisdom (Perception) checks, If you don’t already have them. From 6th level, you add double your proficiency bonus to Perception checks, and from 11th level you make Perception checks with advantage. At 11th level, the darkvision improves to 90ft, and at 15th level the darkvision improves to 120ft.

Dragon’s Body Prerequisite: 6th level You double in size in all dimensions, multiplying your weight by 8 and increasing your size by 1 category (medium to large, for example), as your body distorts to give you the stature of a dragon.. The increased size makes you stronger, increasing your Strength by 2, to a maximum of 22. Starting from 15th level, the increase in size happens twice, increasing your size by two categories, and increasing your Strength by a further 2, to a maximum of 24.

Dragon’s Claws Your hands grow ferocious claws, which are natural weapons which deal 1d10 slashing damage. If a hand is free, you can make a claw attack with it, and each hand counts as a separate natural weapon.

Dragon’s Constitution Prerequisite: 6th level You inherit some of the supernatural toughness of dragons, increasing your Constitution by 2, to a maximum of 22. At 15th level, your Constitution increases by an additional 2, to a maximum of 24. (this increases your maximum Hit Points, but does not increase your current Hit Points)

Dragon’s Flesh The luster of your skin changes to that of your type of dragon, making your colour more prominent and granting you resistance to the damage type of your Dragon’s Breath. Beginning at 15th level, you instead gain immunity to that type.

Dragon's Guise You mimic the dragon's ability to change shape, allowing you to cast Disguise Self at will. From 6th level, you can instead cast Alter Self, but can only use the “Change Appearance” effect. From 11th level, you can use any effect of Alter Self

Dragon’s Legs Your legs grow and distort into that of your type of dragon, granting you a speed and any other traits from the table below, according to your dragon type. From 6th level, your speed also increases by 10ft.

Dragon	Speed and traits
Black, Green, Bronze, Gold	Swim speed equal to your walking speed. Additionally, from 6th level you can breathe both air and water.
Blue, Brass, White	Burrow speed equal to half your walking speed. From 11th level, this improves to your full walking speed
Red, Copper	Climb speed equal to your walking speed.
White	Swimming speed equal to your walking speed. Additionally, from 6th level you don’t need to make an ability check to when moving across or climbing icy surfaces, and difficult terrain comprised of ice and snow does not cost extra movement
Silver	-

Dragon’s Mind Prerequisite: 6th level You gain proficiency in your choice of up to 2 of the following skills: Deception, Persuasion, History, Insight, Arcana. At 11th level, choose 1 of those skills. Add double your proficiency bonus to checks using that skill. From 15th level, double your proficiency bonus for checks using both skills. You cannot end this transformation, but you can take it multiple times, choosing different skills each time.

Dragon’s Sense Prerequisite: 6th level You gain Blindsight 10ft., which increases to 20ft. at 11th level and 30ft. at 15th level.

Dragon’s Tail Prerequisite: 11th level If you aren't wearing armor, you grow a dragon's tail, which is a natural weapon with a reach of 15ft, dealing 3d8 bludgeoning damage. If you use this attack as part of the Multiattack action, this uses 2 attacks. The tail is prehensile, and can be used like an additional hand to grapple or use items, but not to perform the somatic component of spells, hold a shield, or wield a weapon.

Dragon’s Teeth Your head distorts to give you a dragon's maw, which is a natural weapon you can use to make a Bite attack, dealing 1d8 piercing damage. At 11th level the attack has a reach of 10 feet as the transformation lengthens your neck, and if you take the Multiattack action and don’t use this Bite attack, you can use this Bite attack as a bonus action. At 15th level the damage increases to 2d8. Your transformed mouth is strong enough to hold items and grapple creatures, but it can’t be used to hold a shield or wield a weapon.

Dragon’s Will Prerequisite: 11th level You gain proficiency in your choice of Charisma or Wisdom saving throws. From 15th level on, you instead gain proficiency in both saving throws.

Dragon’s Wings Prerequisite: 6th level Dragon wings sprout from your back, granting you a flying speed equal to your walking speed, or double from 15th level. At 11th level, these wings become a natural weapon, but you can’t attack with them. Instead, as an action, you can beat them ferociously to force each creature within 10 feet of you to make a Dexterity saving throw. Each creature that fails takes bludgeoning damage equal to 2d8 + your Strength modifier and is knocked prone. At 15th level, the damage improves to 3d8.

Titanic Heritage

Titans are terrifying monstrosities built for rampage and destruction, whose only desire is to wreck and devour everything in its path. An Ascendant’s journey down the path of titans will surely be one that drags them down to wrath and primal rage.

Mindless Titan

A titan has no need to understand or appreciate other creatures. You are immune to the charmed condition. Your natural armor takes the form of a hard carapace, and your creature type for the Ascension feature is Monstrosity, but you can’t choose a creature with innate spellcasting.

Reflective Carapace

If you are targeted by the magic missile spell, or a spell or other magical effect that requires an attack roll or has a line shape, you can use your reaction to make a Constitution check against a DC of 10 + the spell’s level, or half the creature’s CR or level if not a spell. If successful, you are unaffected by the spell or effect, and roll 1d6. On a 6, the spell or effect is reflected back at the creature that created it as though it originated from you, turning the caster into the target.

You can use this feature once, and regain use of it once you finish a short or long rest. Additionally, you can attempt to regain use of it by recharging as a bonus action: roll 1d6, and if the result is a 6 you regain use of it. You can only successfully recharge a number of times up to your proficiency bonus, and regain spent recharges at the end of a long rest. At 7th level, the feature improves to also successfully recharge on a 5, and similarly at 14th and 18th level to successfully recharge on a 4 and a 3 respectively.

Rampaging Multiattack

Starting at 7th level, you can use your bonus action to enter a mindless rampage. While rampaging, you lose your ability to comprehend languages, cannot concentrate on or cast spells, and are immune to the fear condition. Additionally, when you take the Multiattack action, you can make a number of attacks equal to your Proficiency bonus, instead of the usual 2 (each attack must still be made with a different natural weapon, and the natural weapons must be granted by transformations). Your natural weapon attacks also deal twice as much damage to structures and objects. The rampage does not end until either every non-friendly creature you are aware of is unconscious or dead, or you are incapacitated, after which you must finish a short or long rest to enter a rampage again.

Magic Resistance

Starting from 14th level, You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects while rampaging.

Legendary Titan

Starting from 18th level, as a reaction at the end of another creature’s turn, you can:

• Move up to half your speed
• Use the attack from Titanic Claws, if you have it
• Use the attack from Titanic Tail, if you have it

Transformations

Titanic Armor Your carapace becomes particularly tough, increasing the AC granted by your natural armor by 1. From 11th level, it instead increases by 2, and from 15th level it instead increases by 3.

Titanic Bulk prerequisite 6th level your body swells in size as you hunch over into a more animalistic stature, increasing your size as the Enlarge effect of Enlarge/Reduce, except it is not considered the effect of a spell and you don't gain the additional damage. From 11th level, you then increase in size a second time, and from 15th level you increase in size a third time and increase the reach of all your natural weapon attacks by 5ft., regardless of how large you grow. You can continue to use a bonus action to activate this transformation until you successfully grow to the maximum size.

Titanic Claws Razor-like claws extend from your hands, which are natural weapons you can use to perform a Claw attack, dealing 1d8 slashing damage. Each hand counts as a separate natural weapon. At 11th level, the transformation spreads up your arms, increasing the reach of the Claw attacks by 5 feet.

Titanic Fortitude Your Hit Die for ascendant improves to a d10, increasing your maximum Hit Points by 1 for each level you have in ascendant when you transform. At 11th level, your Hit Die similarly improves to a d12. Starting from 6th level, you are immune to the poisoned condition and have resistance against poison damage. From 15th level, you are instead immune to poison damage. You cannot end this transformation.

Titanic Horns straight, sharp horns extend back from your head, which are a natural weapon that can be used to make a Horn attack, dealing 1d8 piercing damage. If another creature is within the same distance of your target as this attack’s reach, and is also within reach of this attack, you can attack that creature at the same time, using the same attack and damage roll.

Titanic Maw Your head transforms to give you a huge maw, which is a natural weapon you can use to perform a Bite attack, dealing 1d10 piercing damage. If the target is a creature 2 or more sizes smaller than you it is grappled, and restrained for as long as the grapple lasts. If you were already grappling it this way, you can swallow it, ending the grapple. While swallowed, the creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside you, and it takes 2d6 acid damage at the start of each of your turns, which increases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th and 5d6 at 15th. If you take damage greater or equal to your ascendant level + half your Constitution score or more on a single turn from a creature inside you, you must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against a DC equal to half the damage you took, or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, leaving them prone within 10 feet of you. You can only have one creature that is 2 sizes smaller than you swallowed this way at a time, or twice as many for each size smaller than that. At 11th level, you can also unhinge your jaw, allowing you to also grapple and swallow creatures only 1 size smaller than you, and your stomach expands, doubling your capacity for swallowed creatures.

Titanic Perseverance prerequisite 11th level You become immune to the paralyzed condition, and can remove the restrained condition or end a grapple you are subjected to by using half your movement. From 15th level, you can do this by using only 5 feet of movement.

Titanic Presence prerequisite 11th level Your appearance becomes so fearsome that lesser foes can be scared off by the mere sight of you, granting you advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks but disadvantage on all other Charisma checks. Additionally, as an action, you can force each creature of your choice within 120 ft. that is aware of you to make a Wisdom saving throw. Each creature that fails the save is frightened for 1 minute, and can repeat the save at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature succeeds on the save or the effect otherwise ends for it, they cannot be affected by this feature for the next 24 hours. You can do this once, and regain use of it once you finish a short or long rest.

Titanic Resistance prerequisite 6th level you gain resistance to one of the following damage types: fire, cold, lightning, thunder, acid. You cannot end this transformation, but you can take it again, choosing a different damage type.

Titanic Sense prerequisite 6th level You gain darkvision with a range of 60 feet, if you don’t already have it, and blindsight with a range of 10 feet. At 11th level, the darkvision range increases to 120 feet, and the blindsight to 30 feet. At 15th level the blindsight becomes truesight.

Titanic Speed prerequisite 6th level Your walking speed increases by 10 feet. Alternatively, you can reduce your walking speed by 10 feet to gain a swim speed equal to twice your new walking speed. At 11th level, your walking speed increases by a further 10 feet regardless of which previous option you have chosen.

Titanic Stomp prerequisite 6th level your legs grow into thick trunks, capable of shaking the ground as you walk. They become natural weapons capable of making a Stomp attack. Instead of making an attack roll, choose a point within 5 feet of you. Each creature at least 1 size smaller than you within a radius of 5 feet of that point must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 damage, half as much on a success. Each leg counts as a separate weapon, and if the reach of your attacks is increased, the range and radius of this attack is increased by the same amount.

Titanic Tail prerequisite: 6th level you grow a thick tail, which is a natural weapon you can use to make a Tail attack with a reach of 10 feet, dealing 1d6 bludgeoning damage. Additionally, if the target is a creature it must make a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. At 11th level, the reach increases to 15 feet.

Titanic Tentacles prerequisite: 11th level two long tentacles protrude from your back, which are natural weapons you can use to make a Tentacle attack with a reach of 25 feet, dealing 1d6 bludgeoning damage and grappling the target if it is no more than 1 size larger than you. Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained. Your two tentacles count as separate weapons, and each can grapple 1 creature. If you are already grappling a creature with a tentacle, you instead throw the creature a distance up to your Strength score + your ascendant level and knock it prone. If it strikes a solid surface, it takes 1d6 damage for every 10 feet it travels. If it strikes a creature, it must make a Dexterity saving throw to get out of the way, or take the same damage and be knocked prone.

Elemental Heritage

Elementals are the primordial forces of nature made flesh, from planes beyond the material. Their ways seem as chaotic and meaningless as the elements they hold domain over, but are they perhaps simply beyond our understanding?

Nature Made Flesh

Power from the elemental planes allows you to manipulate the elements to your will. You learn your choice of 1 cantrip each from the “elemental manipulation” and “elemental attack” lists. This replaces the transformation granted by Natural Weapon. Wisdom is your ability modifier for these cantrips, and any other spells granted by this heritage, and you use Wisdom instead of Strength to determine the DC for saving throws caused by effects granted by this heritage and your transformations. Your Natural Armor is flesh imbued with a chaotic, interwoven, flowing mix of elements, and your type for Ascension is Elemental.

Elemental Manipulation

Control flames, shape water, mold earth, gust, .

Elemental Attack

Fire bolt, lightning lure, thunderclap, create bonfire, frostbite, ray of frost, produce flame, shocking grasp

Wrath of the Elements

As an action, you can choose an elemental plane, causing the following effect based on your choice:

• Air. Lightning arcs from you to a creature within 30 feet, dealing 2d8 lightning damage, or half it it succeeds on a Dexterity saving throw. The lightning can then arc to another creature within 30 feet of you and the first creature for the same effect, and can continue doing so until it has arced to a number of creatures equal to your Proficiency bonus. The damage increases by 1d8 for every 2 further levels in Ascendant you take, and the range increases to 60 feet at 7th level, 90 feet at 14th level and 120 feet at 18th level.
• Fire. You emanate immense heat that ignites any creature or object (that isn’t worn or carried) of your choice within 10 feet of you. Each target must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 2d6 fire damage or half as much on a success. If it fails it is lit on fire, and must succeed in a Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns or take 1d8 fire damage, or ending the effect on a success. It or another creature within 5 feet of it can also use an action to douse the flames. The initial damage increases by 1d6 for every 2 further levels you take in Ascendant. The subsequent damage increases by 1d8, and the radius by 5 feet, for every 4.
• Earth. A hunk of stone, mud and dirt propels from the ground, landing at a point you choose within 30ft. Each creature within 10 feet of that point makes a Dexterity saving throw to avoid the explosion, taking 2d8 bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success. This damage increases by 1d8, and the radius by 5 feet, for every 2 further levels you take in Ascendant. The shattered rock remains after the explosion, causing the ground within half the radius to become difficult terrain until cleared, with each 5-foot-diameter portion requiring at least 1 minute to clear by hand.
• Water. A wall of water up to 5 feet high, 10 feet wide and 5 feet thick springs up at a point you choose within 10 feet Any creature inside this wall takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage, or half if it succeeds on a Strength saving throw. At the start of your turn, the wall and anything in it moves 10 feet away from you, dealing damage in the same way to every creature inside of it or in its path, but reduced by 1d6. At the end of your turn, the wall’s height is reduced by 5 feet, ending the effect when the height reaches 0ft. The area is difficult terrain, and any creature attempting to swim inside it must first succeed in a Strength (Athletics) check against your DC. The height, width and speed of the wall increase by 5 feet and the damage by 1d4 for every 2 further levels you take in Ascendant, and the thickness increases by 5 feet for every 4.

You can use this feature once, and regain use of it once you finish a short or long rest. Additionally, you can attempt to regain use of it by recharging as a bonus action: roll 1d6, and if the result is a 6 you regain use of it. You can only successfully recharge a number of times up to your proficiency bonus, and regain spent recharges at the end of a long rest. At 7th level, the feature improves to also successfully recharge on a 5, and similarly at 14th and 18th level to successfully recharge on a 4 and a 3 respectively.

Elemental Wall

At 7th level, you gain the ability to mould elemental energy into walls. Choose a number of spells, each with a level no higher than half your level (rounded up), from the Elemental Magic list below up to your proficiency bonus. You can cast the chosen spells, without material components, a number of times up to half your ascendant level, and regain spent uses at the end of a long rest. If you use this feature to cast a spell higher than 3rd level, you spend an additional use for every level above 3rd.

Elemental Magic

Wall of Sand, Wall of Water, Wind Wall, Wall of Fire, Wall of Stone, Wall of Ice

Elemental Investiture

At 14th level, choose 1 one of the following spells: Investiture of Flame, Investiture of Ice, Investiture of Stone, Investiture of Wind. You can cast it once, and regain use of it at the end of a short rest. At the end of a short rest, you can also change your choice of spell. Starting at 18th level, you can cast any of the spells, instead of choosing just one, but you can still only cast one of the four spells between short or long rests.

Legendary Elemental

Starting from 18th level, you can use your reaction at the end of another creature’s turn to do one of the following:

• Move up to half your speed
• Make a Slam attack with your natural weapon, if you have it
• Attempt to recharge your Wrath of the Elements

Transformations

Elemental Form Prerequisite: 6th level choose 1 elemental type (Air, Earth, Water or Fire). you, and everything you’re wearing, turn into a swirling mass of that element. While in this form, your only method of movement is a speed based on the elemental type you chose, according to the Elemental Form table. You may also gain other traits, as per the Elemental Form table. This transformation is otherwise the effect of Gaseous form, but is not considered the effect of a spell. Starting from 11th level, you can also attack with natural weapons of the same elemental type while in this form. You can end this transformation as a bonus action.

Element	Speed	Other traits
Air	Fly 20ft.	-
Fire	Fly 10ft.	A creature that touches you, attacks you, moves into your space for the first time or ends its turn there takes 1d6 fire damage
Earth	Burrow 20ft.	You can burrow through unworked earth and stone, without displacing it.
Water	Swim 20ft.	You reverse the effect of water and air for the part of this transformation which replicates Gaseous Form

Elemental Resistance Your natural armor improves, and is further imbued with the resilience of a type of elemental, at the cost of its weakness. Choose a type of elemental to imbue your armor with from the Elemental Resistance table. You gain one resistance and one vulnerability appropriate to that type from the table. Starting from 11th level, you can choose two resistances, but must choose two vulnerabilities as well. (if you end this transformation, you can make different choices when you activate it again)

Elemental Type	Resistances	Vulnerabilities
Fire	Fire, Bludgeoning, Piercing	Cold, Thunder, Slashing
Earth	Lightning, Fire, Slashing, Piercing	Thunder, Acid, Bludgeoning
Air	Lightning, Thunder, Slashing	Force, Cold, Fire
Water	Acid, Cold, Bludgeoning, Slashing	Fire, Lightning, Piercing

Elemental Touch Your arms turn entirely into that of a type of elemental of your choice (you can choose the same, or different types for each arm) from: Air, Water, Earth, Fire. Your arms count as separate natural weapons, each of which can make a Slam attack dealing 1d4 bludgeoning damage, plus an additional 1d4 damage of a type determined by your choice of elemental (Fire for Fire, Cold for Water, Thunder for Air, bludgeoning for Earth). The additional damage increases by 1d4 at 11th and at 15th level.

Elemental Wisdom Prerequisite: 6th level You gain proficiency in your choice of Charisma or Wisdom saving throws. Beginning at 11th level, you can choose this transformation a second time to gain proficiency in the other.

Elemental Swiftness Prerequisite: 6th level Your body below the waist turns into that of an elemental of your choice (Wind, Earth, Fire, Water). You gain the following benefits based on your choice:

• Air. flying speed (hover) equal to your walking speed
• Earth. burrow speed equal to half your walking speed, which you can use to burrow through solid stone and similar materials.
• Fire. your walking speed increases by 10 feet.
• Water. swimming speed equal to your walking speed

The speed granted doubles at 15th level. If you use the Elemental Form transformation, and make the same choice of element as you did for this transformation, you retain the speed you would normally be granted by this feature while in that form.

Elemental Speech You learn Primordial, as well as your choice of Aquan, Terran, Auran or Ignan. You can choose an additional language to learn at 6th, 11th and 15th level.

Elemental Resilience Prerequisite: 6th level You become immune to disease and the poisoned condition, as the elemental flesh spreads to your insides. From 11th level, you are also resistant to poison damage, and at 15th level you become immune to poison damage.

Elemental Sustenance Prerequisite: 6th level You no longer need to eat or drink, instead drawing energy from the elements, and if you had to sleep you instead go dormant for the same amount of time you would have slept. While dormant, you remain aware of your surroundings, and are not unconscious. Additionally, magic can’t put you to sleep. Starting from 11th level, you have advantage on saving throws and checks to avoid exhaustion, and at 15th level you become immune to exhaustion entirely.

Elemental Protection Prerequisite: 6th level You have advantage on saving throws and ability checks to avoid being paralyzed, petrified or knocked prone. At llth level this also applies to being stunned, grappled or restrained.

Elemental Camouflage You have advantage on stealth checks to hide amongst the same terrain as your element. At 11th level, you can become indistinguishable from a puddle, pile of rocks etc. as appropriate to your element while motionless.

Elemental Affinity Your attunement to the elements grows to allow a limited control over elemental effects others create. As a reaction when you would take acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage you can expend a recharge of your Wrath of the Elements. If you do, you have resistance to the triggering damage type until the start of your next turn, absorbing the energy. Then, the first time you hit a creature with a natural weapon attack on your next turn, the target takes an additional 1d6 damage of the absorbed type. This damage increases by 1d6 each at 6th, 11th and 15th levels.

Elemental Mastery Prerequisite: Elemental Wall feature Your control over the elemental energy improves, allowing you to shape it into more than just walls. The following spells are added to your Elemental Magic list: Create or Destroy Water, , Gust of Wind, Stone Shape, Move Earth, Control Winds, Control Water

Beholder Heritage

Beholders are legendary creatures of terrifying intellect and magical power, but this only drives them to fear, paranoia and xenophobia. An ascendant following in their path will likely grow wary and suspicious of those around them as their bodies grow closer to that of a Beholder, and will often try to either distance themselves from others, or exert control over them to stymie their fears.

Dreamspawn

You learn Deep Speech. You must choose Beholder’s Maw as your natural weapon. Your natural armor is tough, dark skin of a hue between green and violet. Your type for Ascension, when you get it, is any aberration with eye rays.

Eye Tyrant

You can grow eye tentacles with your transformations, which are natural weapons you can use to make a magical ray attack against a creature you can see within 60 ft., using Intelligence for the DC instead of Strength. Once you use a ray attack, you can’t use it again until the start of your next turn.

If a creature(s) would suffer the effects created by a ray attack made with your natural weapon, you can double the number of damage dice rolled and add your proficiency bonus to each instance of damage, and extend the duration of any effect that would last until the start or end of your next turn to 1 minute. If the duration is extended, you must also concentrate to sustain the effect, as if concentrating on a spell, and if it directly affects a creature, that creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success..

You can use this feature once, and regain use of it once you finish a short or long rest. Additionally, you can attempt to regain use of it by recharging as a bonus action: roll 1d6, and if the result is a 6 you regain use of it. You can only successfully recharge a number of times up to your proficiency bonus, and regain spent recharges at the end of a long rest. At 7th level, the feature improves to also successfully recharge on a 5, and similarly at 14th and 18th level to successfully recharge on a 4 and a 3 respectively.

Eye of the Beholder

At 7th level, the eyes on your head merge into a single, giant, unblinking eye. While open, this eye creates an area of antimagic, as in the spell *antimagic field*, in a 15ft. cone in front of you. While closed, you are blinded unless you can see by other means (such as eye tentacles). When you roll initiative, you choose the direction this eye is facing, and whether it is open or closed. You can then only change these as a bonus action at the start of your turn. The cone grows more powerful as you take further levels in ascendant, increasing to 30ft. at 14th level and 60ft. at 18th.

Superior Rays

Starting at 14th level, when you take the Multiattack action and make only ray attacks with your natural weapons, you can make another ray attack with a natural weapon as a bonus action. Additionally, the range of ray attacks you make with your natural weapons increases to 120 ft. and you can maintain concentration to sustain the effects of two ray attacks simultaneously, with both effects ending if you lose concentration.

Legendary Beholder

Starting from 18th level, you can use your reaction at the end of another creature’s turn to:

• Take the Search action
• Make a ray attack with a natural weapon, if you have one

Transformations

Beholder’s Body prerequisite 6th level you meld your arms, legs, body and anything you’re wearing into your head, which simultaneously grows to match your usual size. While in this form, you cannot be knocked prone, and your only form of movement is a flying speed (hover) of 20ft.

Eye of Charming prerequisite 15th level You grow an eye tentacle with a pale red eye. Ray attack: The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by you for 1 hour, or until you or a creature friendly to you harms it. To use this ray attack, you must expend a use of Eye Tyrant.

Eye of Confusion prerequisite 6th level You grow an eye tentacle with a bright yellow eye. Ray attack: the target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw, or it can’t take reactions until the start of you next turn. At the start of its turn, roll 1d10 to decide its behaviour on the confusion table

d10	Behavior
1	The creature uses all its movement to move in a random direction. To determine the direction, roll a d8 and assign a direction to each die face. The creature doesn't take an action this turn.
2-6	The creature doesn't move or take actions this turn.
7-8	The creature uses its action to make a melee attack against a randomly determined creature within its reach. If there is no creature within its reach, the creature does nothing this turn.
9-10	The creature can act and move normally.

Eye of Dazing You grow an eye tentacle with an amber eye. Ray attack: the target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed until the start of your next turn. While charmed this way, its speed is halved and it has disadvantage on attack rolls.

Eye of Disintegration prerequisite 11th level You grow an eye tentacle with a dull blue eye. Ray attack: the target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 3d8 force damage. If you use Eye Tyrant on this ray it instead becomes the effect of *disintegrate*, except dealing 1d8 damage for every 2 levels you have in Ascendant.

Eye of Fear You grow an eye tentacle with a jet-black eye. Ray attack: the target. must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the start of your next turn. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, with disadvantage if you are visible to it, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Eye of Frost You grow an eye tentacle with an ice-blue eye. Ray attack: the target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d4 cold damage. Succeed or fail, the ground in a 5ft radius around the target is temporarily covered in ice, becoming difficult terrain until the start of your next turn. A creature must also make the saving throw when it moves into the area for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there. The damage increases by 1d4, and the radius to 10ft, at 11th level.

Eye of Immolation prerequisite 6th level You grow an eye tentacle with a fiery orange eye. Ray attack: the target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d8 fire damage and be lit on fire until the start of your next turn. A creature lit on fire can douse the flames as an action if it succeeds on a Dexterity check against the same DC, otherwise it takes 1d4 damage again at the end of its turn. At 11th level the damage doubles. If you use Eye Tyrant on this ray, the creature does not get to repeat the saving throw at the end of its turn.

Eye of Magic Devouring prerequisite 11th level You grow an eye tentacle with a purple eye. Ray attack: the target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or have the effects of spells cast on it with a level less than half your level suppressed until the end of your next turn.

Beholder’s Maw your head distorts and your mouth becomes full of ferocious teeth. Your mouth is a natural weapon you can use to make a Bite attack, dealing 1d6 + your Strength modifier piercing damage. The damage increases by 1d6 at 6th, 11th and 15th levels.

Eye of Paralysis prerequisite 6th level You grow an eye tentacle with a bright green eye. Ray attack: the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn. When you use Eye Tyrant on this ray, the creature is instead paralyzed.

Eye of Petrification prerequisite 15th level You grow an eye tentacle with a light brown eye. Ray attack: the target must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature begins to turn to stone and is restrained until the end of your next turn. If you use Eye Tyrant on this ray, it must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn. On a success, the effect ends. On a failure, the creature is petrified until freed by the greater restoration spell or other magic.

Eye of Psionics prerequisite 11th level You grow an eye tentacle with a pearl-white eye. Ray attack: the target must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw or be affected by the ray until the end of your next turn. At the start of an affected creature's turn, it takes 3d4 psychic damage, then you choose one of the d4s to be subtracted from the next attack roll or saving throw the creature makes while affected by the ray. At the end of its turn it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Beholder’s Resilience prerequisite 6th level you gain proficiency in your choice of Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma saving throws. You can take this transformation again from 11th level, choosing a different option, and again from 15h level, choosing the final option.

Beholder’s Sense you gain proficiency in Perception if you don’t already have it, and you gain darkvision 60ft., which increases to 120ft. at 6th level.

Eye of Sleep. Prerequisite 11th level You grow an eye tentacle with a pale grey eye. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or fall asleep and remain unconscious until the end of your next turn. The target awakens if it takes damage or another creature takes an action to wake it. This ray has no effect on constructs and undead.

Eye of Slowing prerequisite 11th level You grow an eye tentacle with a dark brown eye. Ray attack: the target must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the target's speed is halved until the end of your next turn. For the duration, the creature can't take reactions, and it can take either an action or a bonus action on its turn but not both.

Eye of Telekinesis You grow an eye tentacle with a pale grey eye, which you can use to cast *Mage Hand* at will as a ray attack. Additionally, you can control the spectral hand created this way as a ray attack. From 11th level, you can expend a use of Eye Tyrant to instead cast *Telekinesis* in the same way.

Eye of Wounding prerequisite 6th level You grow an eye tentacle with a blood-red eye. Ray attack: the target must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 2d6 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful save. This damage increases to 3d6 at 11th level. When you use Eye Tyrant on this ray, you also restore hit points to yourself equal to half the damage dealt.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the ascendant class, you must meet these prerequisites: 13 or more Constitution

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the ascendant class, you gain the following proficiencies: Simple Weapons

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