Gambling Soul (5e Subclass)

This page is of questionable balance. Reason: As originally written, level 8 and 9 spells were combined into a single table because access to so many upper level spells is broken. Also, though this class has variable power, the original table was very carefully designed with several considerations in mind: 1) only spells that are an action to cast were included, as this feature is an action to use. 2) a variety of in-combat and out-of-combat spells were included. 3) the number of concentration spells was limited so as not to be a major debuff should you use this feature multiple times in a row. 4) spells from all schools of magic were included as best as possible. 5) spells were placed in an order that balances class features below. 6) spells with mandatory monetary-based material components were excluded as not to waste a spell slot should you not have the component. Consult July 2022 revision history for this table. You can help D&D Wiki by better balancing the mechanics of this page. When the mechanics have been changed so that this template is no longer applicable please remove this template. If you do not understand balance please leave comments on this page's talk page before making any edits. Edit this Page | All pages needing balance

Wild Magic not chaotic enough for you? Consider making a Gambling Soul Sorcerer. Content and concept modified from Homebrew Class Chancecaster, 2nd Variant (5e Class).

As a Gambling Soul Sorcerer, magic is a game that you can't help but play over and over again. Pure luck permeates your very essence, granting you the powers of the arcane. When making a Gambling Soul Sorcerer, consider the question 'what is luck and where does it come from in this setting?' This will help you identify the source of your sorcerer's power. Alternatively, roll on the table to determine how luck manifests as a power source in your world.

Origin of Luck

d6	Origin
1	Luck is just a concept, and your power comes from the philosophy of possibility.
2	You are connected to a Deity of Luck, which fuels your magical powers.
3	Luck is a creature with which your ancestor struck a deal, granting generations with magical powers.
4	Chaos and Luck are one in the same. Your power comes from the Plane of Limbo or a creature that lives there.
5	Exposure to the energy of the Plane of Fortune and Misfortune transformed you.
6	Ethereal threads of pure magic weave through the air and manipulate events of the Material Plane. This invisible influence on our surroundings is called "Luck." Your power comes from these threads, which you can physically manipulate to bend luck to your will and cast spells.

No matter the source of your chaos, you can't shake the thrill of high risk for high reward. Though your innate ability to tap into possibility was no choice, you continue to test your luck. Its such a rush to pull raw magic from your own soul without knowing what you will unleash, and you're willing to risk it all for a possible payout. Afterall, life is a game of chance.

Gambling Soul

Sorcerer Subclass

The Gambling Soul Sorcerer is best suited for those looking to play in a high-risk high-reward setting where you are prone to failure, yet have moments of incredible power that leave you thirsting for more. Before choosing this subclass, consider whether or not you are willing to roll with the punches and fail often.

As a Gambling Soul Sorcerer, you can test your luck, both good and bad. At times your surges in power can break the rules of standard magic by either casting more than one spell simultaneously or casting a more powerful spell than originally intended. However, with great reward there is immense risk. Your thirst for more may instead be a bust, wasting your spell energy and casting no spell. Furthermore, the random nature of this magic means you may not summon a spell that is useful in a given situation, or you may target the wrong creature. Sometimes underpowered, other times overpowered. Are you willing to test your luck?

Game of Chance

Your magic is fueled by Luck, and casting spells is a Game of Chance you choose to keep playing. At 1st level, you may choose one gaming set that you are proficient with to act as an arcane focus.

On the Tables

Beginning at 1st level, your connection to Luck opens up infinite magical possibilities. As an action, you may expend a spell slot and attempt to cast a random spell. Roll 2d12 and choose one result, consulting the table associated with the level of spell slot you expended. Spells you cast in this way must be cast at the given table level, and therefore cannot benefit from higher level casting.

On the Tables spell level tables

d12	Cantrip (level 0)	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8	Level 9 !
1	fire bolt	burning hands	Aganazzar's scorcher	melf's minute meteors	fire shield	immolation	investiture of flame	firestorm	incendiary cloud	meteor swarm
2	frostbite	ice knife	rime's binding ice	wall of water	ice storm	cone of cold	Otiluke's freezing sphere	sequester	dominate monster	storm of vengeance
3	thunderclap	thunderwave	shatter	call lightning	storm sphere	maelstrom	chain lightening	teleport	maddening darkness	gate
4	gust	zephyr strike	gust of wind	fly	freedom of movement	freedom of the winds	wind walk	whirlwind	demiplane	astral projection
5	chill touch	inflict wounds	wither and bloom	vampiric touch	blight	raise dead	harm	finger of death	abi-dalzim's horrid wilting	time ravage
6	minor illusion	color spray	silence	major image	hallucinatory terrain	seeming	mental prison	mirage arcane	illusory dragon	Weird
7	primal savagery	catapult	cordon of arrows	slow	polymorph	telekinesis	bones of the earth	draconic transformation	control weather	mass polymorph
8	vicious mockery	charm person	shadow blade	antagonize	confusion	geas	mental prison	power word: pain	power word: stun	psychic scream
9	sacred flame	guiding bolt	branding smite	crusaders mantle	sickening radiance	dawn	sunbeam	crown of stars	sunburst	true resurrection
10	infestation	ray of sickness	spider climb	stinking cloud	giant insect	cloudkill	druid grove	conjure hezrou	animal shapes	shapechange
11	eldritch blast	magic missile	spiritual weapon	psionic blast	dimension door	wall of force	disintegrate	mordenkainen's sword	dark star	blade of disaster
12	Double Down?	Double Down?	Double Down?	Double Down?	Double Down?	Double Down?	Double Down?	Double Down?	Double Down?	Fail

Usually, you can sense the spell you are summoning and choose its target, but sometimes your luck runs out. After determining which random spell you will cast and if it does not have a range of self, roll a d20. On a natural 1, the DM chooses the target of the spell instead, as if you misread the spell you summon. You can use your movement after determining the spell and its target but before casting the spell, as if you move while the magic is being summoned.

Double Down

When rolling 2d12, if either die results in a 12, you may choose to double down and risk casting no spell for the possibility of casting two spells. Reroll both d12s. If both d12s yield different results upon rerolling, you simultaneously cast both spells. However, if either die yields a 12 upon rerolling, the spell fails and you lose your spell slot. Double Down may not be used on the Higher Level table, as the spell automatically fails if either die yields a 12 on the initial roll.

Up the Ante

When you roll 2d12 and roll doubles, you may choose to up the ante and risk casting no spell for the possibility of casting a more powerful spell. Roll a third d12. One of three results can happen:

• Three of a kind: If the third d12 matches the previous two, you cast a higher level spell than intended. Consult the spell table one level higher than the spell slot you originally expended, and cast the given spell. (Optional rule: Wild Magic is triggered.)

• Flop: If the third d12 yields a 12, the spell fails and you lose your spell slot.

• Push: If the third d12 neither matches the original doubles nor yields a 12, you ignore the third d12 and instead cast the original spell from its original table.

Fold

At 6th level, you’ve learned when it’s time to back out. You may expend 1 sorcery point to take the Disengage action as a bonus action on your turn.

Even the Odds

At 6th level, either your Luck is improving or you're learning to manipulate it. When you use your On the Tables feature and one of your d12s shows an odd number, you may expend 1 sorcery point to increment or decrement the roll by 1.

You may use this feature only once per turn. Should you use this feature to trigger Double Down or Up the Ante, you may not do so again until you finish a long rest.

Rig the Game

At 14th level, you learn to call on your Luck when you most need it. When you use your On the Tables feature, you may forgo rolling 2d12 to instead choose the spell that you cast from the table list.

If you use this feature more than once before completing your next long rest, there is a cumulative 25 percent chance for each use after the first that you cast a random spell of the GM's choosing.

The amount of times you may use this feature before taking a long rest is half your proficiency bonus rounded down.

Bet Your Life

Beginning at 18th level, your gambling runs deep. Instead of expending a spell slot to activate On the Tables, you may expend a number of hit points equal to 10x the table level (80 HP for Higher Level table). The spell is cast even if you would become incapacitated by this feature, as long as the damage you would take does not exceed 25 hit points more than what you currently have.

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