Card Mage (5e Class)

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Card Mage

A man stands at a pair of doors sealed from the other side. He pulls out his deck of cards and shuffles them before pulling a card off the top. The card starts to glow in his hand. He slips it between the doors and steps back. The card explodes, leaving the door in pieces.

A woman runs down the street being chased by a group of thugs. She pulls out her deck of cards and quickly shuffles. She pulls the top card. The card starts to glow. She drops it on the ground. A moment later, as the thugs run over the card, the card explodes, taking the thugs out.

An adventuring party are in the middle of the forest surrounded by goblins. The card slinger pulls out the deck and shuffles it before pulling the top card. The card starts to glow before the Slinger throws the card. A moment later it explodes, having taken out a goblin.

The Power In Your Hand

The sound of a deck of cards being shuffled is the music of your soul. The feeling of the cards in your hands feels as natural as a dagger in the hand of an assassin. The cards are your tools, your weapons, and your foci. In your hands your soul passes into the cards turning them from normal cards into something more. This link is more than a feeling it’s magic, you can use your soul to charge the cards into bombs.

Creating a Card Slinger

What motivated your character to choose this occupation? Is it fame, attachment to your card, or something else? Think about what goals your character have in mind when creating a card slinger as well.

Quick Build

You can make a card slinger quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your highest ability score, followed by Dexterity. Second, choose the charlatan background.

Class Features

As a Card Slinger you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

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

Proficiencies

Armor: Light Armor
Weapons: Simple weapons and martial melee weapons
Tools: Deck of Cards
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
Skills: Choose four from Arcana, Deception, Insight, Perception, Stealth, and Sleight of Hand.

Equipment

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

• (a) a simple weapon or (b) a martial weapon
• (a) a diplomat's pack or (b) a Burglar's pack
• (a) leather armor, 5 throwing daggers, and a deck of playing Cards or (b) {{{item3b}}}
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 2d4 x 10 gp in funds.

Table: The Card Slinger

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Backstab	Gambit Die Size	Gambit Feature
1st	+2	Dealer's Gambit, The Deck	4	d6	3
2nd	+2	One With Shadows, Backstab, Action Surge	4	d6	3
3rd	+2	Card Mage Archetype	4	d6	4
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	5	d6	4
5th	+3	Gambler's Luck 19-20, Extra Attack	5	d8	4
6th	+3	Card Mage Archetype Feature, Going the Distance	5	d8	5
7th	+3	Evasion	6	d8	5
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	6	d8	5
9th	+4	Curving the Card, Calling Card	6	d8	6
10th	+4	Card Mage Archetype Feature	7	d8	6
11th	+4	Mulligan,	7	d10	6
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	7	d10	7
13th	+5	Extra Attack(2)	8	d10	7
14th	+5	Card Gambit	8	d10	8
15th	+5	Card Mage Archetype Feature	8	d10	8
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	9	d10	8
17th	+6	Shadow Walk, Action Surge, Extra Attack Improvement	9	d12	9
18th	+6	Resolute Mind	9	d12	9
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	10	d12	9
20th	+6	Stacked Deck Improvement	10	d12	10

Dealer's Gambit

Gambit is not only your profession, but also your style of life. You have a certain number of Gambit Dice that represent your wits and resolves that you can utilize to overcome a tight situation.

At 1st level, you have four gambit dice. You gain additional gambit die when you reach 4th level, 7th level, 10th, 13th level, 16th level, and 19th level.

At 1st level, your gambit dice are d6's. When you reach 5th level, your gambit dice turn into d8's. They turn into d10's when you reach 11th level, and d12's when you reach 17th level.

You can expend gambit dice to fuel various gambit features. You start knowing three such features. Select three features from the following list. You may learn additional gambit features as you gain levels in this class, gaining one feature at 3rd level, 6th level, 10th level, 14th level and 18th level. You regain all expended gambit dice upon completing a short or long rest.

Bad Beat

When a creature you can see makes an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, you can use your reaction and expend 1 gambit die to hinder its attempt. Roll a gambit dice and subtract the number rolled from the creature's roll. You can choose to use this feature after the creature makes its roll, but before the DM determines whether the attack roll, the ability check, or the saving throw succeeds or fails.

Flourish

When you use the attack action, you may flourish your deck of cards before you draw. As an action, you spend one gambit die, and add its rolled number to your attack and damage rolls for your first attack. Additional damage dealt this way counts as force damage.

Dancing Cards

As an action, you can expend 1 gambit die to perform a flamboyant card trick that dazzles spectators. Each hostile creature within 10 feet of you is immediately distracted by your performance, and must succeed an Intelligence saving throw of DC 8 + the gambit die's rolled number. On a failed save, the targeted creatures have disadvantage on all ability checks until your next turn, and the next attack against the targeted creatures have advantage.

Deck Turnover

As an action, you can expend 1 gambit die to make a combat card attack against multiple creatures within 20 feet of you. You must make a separate attack roll for each target, with a separate combat card. The number of creatures you can attack is equal to half the gambit die's rolled number rounded down.

Magic Fold

As a bonus action, you can expend 1 gambit die to take the disengage action.

Rogue Ace

As a bonus action, you can expend 1 gambit die to take the dodge action.

Lucky Throw

Immediately after you fail an attack roll, you can expend 1 gambit die to throw a combat card past the face of your target. You must then make a Dexterity saving throw of DC 20 - the gambit die's rolled number. On a successful save, you automatically hit another creature of your choice that you can see within the range of your combat card.

Mucked Deck

You may throw a minimum of 26 combat cards into the air to distract your target and make a hide roll as a bonus. As an action, expend one gambit die to throw cards into the air. You must throw a minimum of 26 cards, but if you throw 39 or more, add the gambit dice on your hide roll. The cards thrown this way are lost, and may not be used as ammunition unless collected after combat.

The House Always Wins

Whenever you partake in a game where you can cheat, you can expend up to 3 gambit dice to stack the deck in your favor. For the number of dice spent, you give the same number of other players advantage or disadvantage, as you choose. If you are the dealer, you can automatically pick who wins.

Trick Shot

If you know the location of a creature that you cannot attack, you can use your action to expend 1 gambit die when you make an attack roll against the creature. The combat card can attack creatures by arching over and under cover, turning around corners at a 90 degree angle, or bouncing off of environment to reach unusual angles. Trick shots have their range increased by a number of feet equal to 5 x the gambit die's rolled number.

The Deck

A card slinger uses a deck containing four suits (Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, and Spades) of numbered or lettered cards. Each suit has 13 cards that are numbered from two to ten and lettered J, Q, K, A (Jack, Queen, King, Ace) If a card is lost the whole deck must be replaced. The deck must have every suit and number in it or it will not work, so making a deck of 52 ace of spades will not work. In addition, if your deck includes Jokers, you must have them in your deck when you bond with it. After the card is used the card slinger can pick up the card and reshuffled the card back into the deck.

Using the deck

As an action, a card slinger can make a ranged attack with a drawn card that has a range of 30 ft. A drawn card must be pulled from the top of the deck after the deck has been shuffled. Shuffling and drawing a card is considered part of the action. A card slinger using his Charisma modifier for these attack rolls instead of his Dexterity modifier.

Some of your card effects require your target to make a saving throw to resist the card's effect. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Card Slinger save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Bonding with your deck

During a long rest, the card slinger must spend no less than 30 minutes to take care of his cards. This might be putting new wax on them, separating them, airing them out, and so on. The card slinger also must shuffle the cards at least once in order to imbue them with magic. If these things are skipped the cards will lose their magic until the card slinger completes this process.

Suits

The added suit effect does not apply to the cards two, five and eight. For the cards three, six and nine applies the saving throw 6 + your Charisma modifier halved rounded up.

Spades

Fire Damage

This suit symbolizes willpower, courage, strength and other masculine qualities. A creature hit by the effect of this suit needs to pass a Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the end of its next turn.

Hearts

Cold Damage

This suit stands for love, emotions, imagination, subconscious and other feminine qualities. A creature hit by the effect of this suit needs to pass a Constitution saving throw or have its movement speed halved until the end of its next turn.

Clubs

Lightning Damage

This suit represents mind, speech and words. These are neutral qualities. A creature hit by the effect of this suit needs to pass a Constitution saving throw or be unable to take reactions and bonus actions until the end of its next turn.

Diamonds

Acid Damage

This suit signifies wealth and matter. A creature hit by the effect of this suit needs to pass a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of its next turn.

Numbers

While the suit chooses the element of the blast, the number on the card tells the range and how much damage will be done.

2 Card

This card deals 1d6 + Charisma modifier damage. You gain additional dice when you reach the following levels: 4th level 2d6, 8th level 3d6, 12th 4d6, and 16th level 5d6.

3 Card

This card deals 1d8 + Charisma modifier damage (suit chosen). You gain additional dice when you reach the following levels: 4th level 2d8, 8th level 3d8, 12th 4d8, and 16th level 5d8.

4 Card

This card deals 1d10 + Charisma modifier damage (suit chosen). You gain additional dice when you reach the following levels: 4th level 2d10, 8th level 3d10, 12th 4d10, and 16th level 5d10.

5 Card

This card deals 1d6 + Charisma modifier +1 damage. You gain additional dice when you reach the following levels: 4th level 2d6, 8th level 3d6, 12th 4d6, and 16th level 5d6.

6 Card

This card deals 1d8 + Charisma modifier +1 damage (suit chosen). You gain additional dice when you reach the following levels: 4th level 2d8, 8th level 3d8, 12th 4d8, and 16th level 5d8.

7 Card

This card deals 1d10 + Charisma modifier +1 damage (suit chosen). You gain additional dice when you reach the following levels: 4th level 2d10, 8th level 3d10, 12th 4d10, and 16th level 5d10.

8 Card

This card deals 1d6 + Charisma modifier +2 damage. You gain additional dice when you reach the following levels: 4th level 2d6, 8th level 3d6, 12th 4d6, and 16th level 5d6.

9 Card

This card deals 1d8 + Charisma modifier +2 damage (suit chosen). You gain additional dice when you reach the following levels: 4th level 2d8, 8th level 3d8, 12th 4d8, and 16th level 5d8.

10 Card

This card deals 1d10 +Charisma modifier +2 damage (suit chosen). You gain additional dice when you reach the following levels: 4th level 2d10, 8th level 3d10, 12th 4d10, and 16th level 5d10.

Jack Card

Draw another card; the Jack card empowers the new card, adding 1d4 damage and 1d4 for attack roll. There is no added effect for the suit of the Jack. The damage die increases at the following levels: 4th level d6, 8th level d8, 12th level d10, and 16th level d12. This card does not stack with other face or Ace Card. If more then one face or ace card is drawn on the same turn the effect of the last face or ace draw is the effect the activates, So if a Jack is pulled and then a Queen only the effect of the Queen actives.

Queen Card

Draw another card; the Queen card increases the DC for your saving throw by 2 for the new card. If the drawn card is number 2,5 or 8 you gain advantage on the attack roll instead. There is no added effect for the suit of the Queen. At 13th level, the DC for your saving throw increases by 1 again. This card does not stack with other face or Ace Card. If more then one face or ace card is drawn on the same turn the effect of the last face or ace draw is the effect the activates, So if a Jack is pulled and then a Queen only the effect of the Queen actives.

King Card

Draw another card; your cards gain area-of-effect from this card. The AOE size is a 10 foot radius circle, centered from where the card hits. This card does not stack with other face or Ace Card. If more then one face or ace card is drawn on the same turn the effect of the last face or ace draw is the effect the activates, So if a Jack is pulled and then a Queen only the effect of the Queen actives.

Ace Card

Draw another card; the Ace card ignores resistance and immunities, doubles the dice for that card, gains advantage on the attack roll. There is no added effect for the suit of the Ace. This card does not stack with other face or Ace Card. If more then one face or ace card is drawn on the same turn the effect of the last face or ace draw is the effect the activates, So if a Jack is pulled and then a Queen only the effect of the Queen actives.

Joker Card

This card heals 1d12 + Charisma modifier for a single target. Heal also Conditions like poisoned, paralysed, stunned etc.The healing increases at the following levels: 4th level 2d12, 8th level 3d12, 12th level 4d12, 16th level 5d12, and 20th level 6d12.

One With Shadows

At 2nd level, you gain proficiency in the Stealth skill, and if you already have proficiency in it, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any Dexterity (Stealth) check you make.

Backstab

Beginning at 2nd level, striking unaware targets has become fortuitous for you. Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if they cannot see you. The attack must use a one handed weapon.

The amount of the extra damage increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Backstab column of the Card Slinger table.

Action Surge

Starting at 2nd level, you can push yourself beyond your normal limits for a moment. On Your Turn, you can take one additional action on top of your regular action and a possible bonus action.

Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again. Starting at 17th level, you can use it twice before a rest, but only once on the same turn.

Card Mage Archetype

At 3rd level, you chose an archetype. Choose between Deckmaster, and Spellcard, both detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd, and again at 6th, 10th, and 15th levels.

Ability Score Increase

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Gambler's Luck

Beginning at 5th level, your melee attacks when using a one handed weapon critically strike on a natural 19 as well as 20. When you would roll a natural 1 on a ranged weapon's attack roll or damage roll you can reroll the dice. You can use this feature only once per turn.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can Attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the attack action on Your Turn.

The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 13th level in this class and to four when you reach 17th level in this class.

Going the Distance

Beginning at 6th level, the distance you can throw a card you've drawn increases to 120 ft. In addition, you may ignore half and three-quarters cover. The details for the cards three, six and nine now apply to the cards two, five and eight and the normal suit effects apply to the cards three, six and nine. At 12th level all effects for all numbers are treated normally.

Evasion

From 7th level onward, you can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area effects. Whenever you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.

Calling Card

Beginning at 9th level, you can choose when you throw a card to have it return to you after it explodes. Any card you choose to be returned will be back in the deck at the start of your next turn.

Curving the Card

From 9th level onward, you can curve the cards you throw so they can go around corners. You become so good at it you can make a card curve up to 90 degrees. You must be standing within 10 feet of the area you want your card to curve around. The distance the card can travel is halved when using this ability.

Mulligan

Beginning at 11th level, after you draw a card, you may, as a bonus action, place the card back in the deck, re-shuffle, and draw again. You can only do this once a battle.

Card Gambit

Beginning at 14th level, when an enemy misses you or an ally with a melee or ranged attack, you may use your reaction to throw a card at the enemy that missed an attack.

Shadow Walk

From 17th level, you gain the ability to step from one shadow into another. When you are in dim light or darkness, as a bonus action, you can magically teleport up to 120 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness.

Resolute Mind

At 18th level, you gain advantage on Wisdom and Intelligence saving throws from magic.

Stacked Deck

At 20th level, you learn the intricacies of your deck and now you can draw the card you want. As a bonus action, you search your deck for the card you want and draw it. You are unable to draw another card (as you normally would when making an attack) this turn. You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1). You regain all uses after a long rest.

Card Mage Archetypes

Deckmaster

Discard

At 3rd level, as a bonus action you may discard the top card of your deck to gain advantage on your next attack. You can use this feature up to a number equal to your Charisma Modifier. After doing a short or long rest this feature can be used again for the full amount of times.
Also, when you draw a card, you may draw 2 cards and discard 1 instead of drawing just one card. Discarding a card removes it from the deck until you complete a long rest. Removing cards this way does not disrupt the magic of the deck and it continues to work as normal. You cannot discard more than 1 card per turn. The other card can be thrown as normal.

Dealer’s Choice

At 6th level, you can, as an action, draw 5 cards for the top of your deck. Choose one of those cards and return the other 4 to the bottom of your deck. You may make an attack with the card you have drawn. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one). You regain all uses of this feature after a long rest.

Hat Trick

At 10th level, you are able to throw multiple cards. As an action, draw the top 3 cards from your deck. You may attack with each of these cards as one action, each target must be within 30’ of each other and the suit effect is ignored. In addition, the card deals damage only to the target(s) hit. You must finish a short or long rest after using this feature.

Wild Card

At 15th level, you can make personal touches to the deck, so to speak. During a long rest, and while bonding with the deck, choose a number card (2-10) to be considered wild. When a wild card is drawn, choose a number that is different than the card drawn and use it values for the attack. Suits cannot be altered. The wild card cannot be changed until you spend time during a long rest bonding with the deck again.

Spellcard

Spellcasting

You gain the ability to turn three regular cards into spellcards. At level 3 your spellcards will be able to cast Wizard spells using 1st level spell slots. Once you use a spell card it is re-shuffled back into the deck. You gain one additional spellcard when you reach 6th, and again at 10th, 14th, and 18th level. Each time you get a new spellcard, you earn higher level spell slots up to a 4th level spell slot.

Spellcasting Ability

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your spellcard spells. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Spell Attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Spell Slots

Class Level	Slots 1st	Slots 2nd	Slots 3rd	Slots 4th
3rd	3	-	-	-
6th	3	1	-	-
10th	3	2	1	-
14th	3	3	2	1
18th	3	3	3	2

Quick Scaling

At 6th level, after casting a spell of 1st level or higher, you may draw and attack with a card as a bonus action that deals damage.

Magical Ambush

Starting at 10th level, if you are hidden from a creature when you hit it with a card attack or you cast a spell on it, the creature has disadvantage on any saving throw it makes against the spell or card effect this turn.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the card slinger class, you must meet these prerequisites: 13 Dexterity and 13 Charisma.

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the card slinger class, you gain the following proficiencies: simple ranged weapons, and one card slinger skill.

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