Phantom (5e Class)

Phantom

Many rogues walk a fine line between life and death, risking their own lives and taking the lives of others. While adventuring on that line, some rogues discover a mystical connection to death itself. These rogues take knowledge from the dead and become immersed in negative energy, eventually becoming like ghosts. Thieves' guilds value them as highly effective information gatherers and spies.

Many shadar-kai of the Shadowfell are masters of these macabre techniques, and some are willing to teach this path. In places like Thay in the Forgotten Realms and Karrnath in Eberron, where many necromancers practice their craft, a Phantom can become a wizard's confidant and right hand. In temples of gods of death, the Phantom might work as an agent to track down those who try to cheat death and to recover knowledge that might otherwise be lost to the grave.

Creating a Phantom

When making an phantom, you must think to yourself, how did you discover this grim power? Did you sleep in a graveyard and awaken to your new abilities? Or did you cultivate them in a temple or thieves' guild dedicated to a deity of death?

Quick Build

You can make a Phantom quickly by following these suggestions. Firstly, Dexterity should be your highest ability score, followed by Intelligence. Second, choose the Haunted One background. Third, choose Acrobatics, Insight and Stealth for your skills.

Class Features

As a Phantom you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

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

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords
Tools: Thieves' tools
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
Skills: Choose four from Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth

Equipment

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

• (a) a rapier or (b) a shortsword
• (a) a shortbow and quiver of 20 arrows or (b) any simple weapon
• (a) a burglar's pack or (b) dungeoneer's pack or (c) an explorer's pack
• Leather armor, two daggers, and thieves' tools
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 4d4*10 gp in funds.

Table: The Phantom

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Sneak Attack	Features
1st	+2	1d6	Expertise, Sneak Attack
2nd	+2	1d6	Cunning Action, Fighting Style
3rd	+2	2d6	Wails from the Grave
4th	+2	2d6	Ability Score Improvement
5th	+3	3d6	Uncanny Dodge, Extra Attack
6th	+3	3d6	Ability Score Improvement
7th	+3	4d6	Evasion
8th	+3	4d6	Ability Score Improvement
9th	+4	5d6	Whispers of the Dead
10th	+4	5d6	Shadow Blade
11th	+4	6d6	Deadly Surge
12th	+4	6d6	Ability Score Improvement
13th	+5	7d6	Fatal Archetype Feature
14th	+5	7d6	Ability Score Improvement, Blindsense
15th	+5	8d6	Slippery Mind
16th	+5	8d6	Ability Score Improvement
17th	+6	9d6	Ghostrunner
18th	+6	9d6	Elusive Shadows
19th	+6	10d6	Ability Score Improvement
20th	+6	10d6	Death Strike

Expertise

At 1st level, choose two of your skill proficiencies, or one of your skill proficiencies and your proficiency with thieves' tools. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies.

At 6th level, you can choose two more of your proficiencies (in skills or with thieves' tools) to gain this benefit.

Sneak Attack

Beginning at 1st level, you know how to strike subtly and exploit a foe's distraction. Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a weapon that lacks Heavy property.

You don't need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn't incapacitated, and you don't have disadvantage on the attack roll.

The amount of the extra damage increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Sneak Attack column of the Phantom table.

Cunning Action

Starting at 2nd level, your quick thinking and agility allow you to move and act quickly. You can take a bonus action on each of your turns in combat. This action can be used only to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.

Fighting Style

You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty.

Critical Fighting

Your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20. At 13th level, your weapon attacks critical hit range expands to a roll of 18-20.

Wails from the Grave

You discover a mystical connection to death itself. As you take knowledge from the dead and become immersed in negative energy, you eventually become like a real phantom.

Beginning at 3rd level, your newfound connection to death gives you the following benefits:

• You have advantage on saving throws against disease and being poisoned, and you have resistance to poison damage.
• You don't need to eat, drink, or breathe.
• You don't need to sleep.

In addition, as you nudge someone closer to the grave, you can channel the power of death to harm someone else as well. Immediately after you deal your Sneak Attack damage to a creature on your turn, you can target a second creature that you can see within 30 feet of the first creature. Roll the number of Sneak Attack dice for your level, and the second creature takes necrotic damage equal to the roll's total, as wails of the dead sound around them for a moment. Half of dealt necrotic damage, you receive as temporary hit points.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 6th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 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.

Uncanny Dodge

Starting at 5th level, when an attacker that you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack's damage against you.

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 11th level in this class, to four when you reach 17th level in this class, and to five when you reach 20th level in this class.

Evasion

Beginning at 7th level, you can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a red dragon's fiery breath or an Ice Storm spell. When 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. At 18th level, you gain advantage on Dexterity saving throw.

Whispers of the Dead

At 9th level, echoes of those who have died cling to you. As a ghostly presence shares its senses with you, you can be prepared for potential threats, gaining the following benefits:

• You can't be surprised while you are conscious and other creatures don't gain advantage on attack rolls against you as a result of being unseen by you.
• You gain advantage on Constitution saving throws and Death saving throws.
• You can use Sneak Attack feature twice per turn. Additionally, you no longer need an advantage for Sneak Attack as long, as you don't have an disavantage on the attack roll.

Shadow Blade

At 10th level, despite death, the souls that accompany you still demand revenge for their suffering in life and decide to serve you as your blade. Your weapon attacks count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. In addition, when you hit a creature with your weapon attack, you deal an additional damage equal to your Intelligence, regaining the same amount of hit points.

Deadly Surge

At 11th level, as you balancing on line between life and death, your body in response exceeds beyond your normal limits. You gain an additional reaction on each of your turn.

Shadow Sneak

At 13th level, you become more capable when it comes to attacking from the shadows. You can choose to deal necrotic damage with your Sneak Attack instead of weapon damage to the primary target. Additionally, whenever you deal necrotic damage with Sneak Attack, full damage you dealt, you receive as temporary hit points instead of half.

Blindsense

Starting at 14th level, if you are able to hear, you are aware of the location of any hidden or invisible creature within 30 feet of you.

Slippery Mind

By 15th level, you have acquired greater mental strength. You gain proficiency in Wisdom saving throws.

Ghostrunner

At 17th level, you can phase partially into the realm of the dead, becoming like a ghost. You can permanently use Sneak Attack feature, regardless of having disadvantage on the attack roll.

Elusive Shadows

Beginning at 18th level, you are so evasive that attackers rarely gain the upper hand against you. No attack roll has advantage against you.

Death Strike

At 20th level, you become a master of instant death. Once per turn, when you attack and hit a creature, it must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your proficiency bonus). On a failed save, double the damage of your attack against the creature.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Phantom class, you must meet these prerequisites: Dexterity 13

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Phantom class, you gain the following proficiencies: Light armor, one skill from the class’s skill list, thieves' tools.

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