PsyOp (5e Subclass)

PsyOp

Rogue Subclass

"Who is my enemy?" "What is happening to me?" "What is real?" These are the type of thoughts the PsyOp Rogue wants running through an enemy's head. PsyOps (sometimes called "Gamers") fight their battles as much on the field of the mind as they do on the battlefield.

Everything a PsyOp does is about getting into someone else's head to gain an advantage. As such, a PsyOp can be a difficult person to know and even harder to trust. Still, they tend to be high charisma and high intelligence individuals which can make them a blast to hang out with and difficult to guard yourself against.

Head Dice

When you take on the challenge of being a PsyOp at 3rd level, you gain a number of Head Dice equal to your Intelligence modifier + your Charisma modifier (minimum 1). These dice will power your PsyOp features including spells. They start as d6s, then become d8s at 10th level and d10s at 17th level. You regain a number of Head Dice equal to your proficiency bonus when you finish a short rest and all of them when you finish a long rest.

Whenever you make a Charisma check, you can expend one of these dice as part of that check an add its roll to your roll. When another creature makes a Wisdom check, you can use your reaction to expend a die and subtract its roll from their roll. In either case, the die must be expended before the roll is made.

PsyOp Enterprises (Spells)

Also at 3rd level, you begin to develop a compendium of enterprises with the purpose of disorienting and confounding opponents. Though PsyOps are typically loathe to admit it, these are actually just spells that are powered by Head Dice rather than spell slots. As far as the PsyOp is concerned, these are intricate psychological attacks on their enemies. (Roll play idea: Give these spells their own fun PsyOp-flavored names, like Bane = "Operational Interference" or Enemies Abound = "Paranoia".)

Cantrips

You know 1 basic protocol (cantrips) at level 1: vicious mockery or mind sliver. You learn the other one or another cantrip from the bard spell list when you reach 10th level in this class.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

At certain levels in this class, you develop enterprises (spells) that have the ability to disorient, confound, or hinder your foes. You are not a mage, so your options are limited to the ones in the table below. These spells are cast by expending Head Dice, which interact with the spell offering added damage, effect, or utility. None of your enterprises cast this way require material components.

PsyOp Spell Table

Rogue Level	Spell	Head Dice cost	Head Dice effect
3rd	Bane	1	When you stop concentrating on this spell, affected creatures must make a Wisdom save versus your spell DC or take the die roll in psychic damage.
3rd	Cause Fear	1	When a target of this spell rolls a d20 while affected, subtract the Head Die roll. You can do this once for each die expended.
5th	Dissonant Whispers	1	Creatures of your choice within 5 feet of the target take the die roll in psychic damage whether the target's save was successful or not.
7th	Tasha's Mind Whip	2	At the end of an affected creature's next turn, roll the expended Head Dice. If the sum of the rolls is 10 or higher, the rider effects last an extra round.
9th	Crown of Madness	2	While under the effect of this spell, the target takes the Head Dice roll of psychic damage each time it ends a turn having harmed no other creature.
11th	Enemies Abound	3	When the target attempts a saving throw against this spell, you can roll one of the expended Head Dice and subtract it from their roll. You can do this once for each die expended.
13th	Bestow Curse	3	Roll the Head Dice. Add an additional effect or an additional spell level for each die with 7 or higher.
15th	Fear	3	When a creature successfully saves against this spell, roll one of the expended Head Dice. On a roll of 7 or higher, their save failed. You can do this once for each die expended, but only once per save.
17th	Confusion	4	While this spell is active, at the start of your turn, roll one of the expended Head Dice. Creatures under the influence of this spell take that roll + your Intelligence modifier psychic damage. Do this each round until all Head Dice have been rolled.

Spell Casting Ability

Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your PsyOp protocols (spells), since you learn them through dedicated study and experimentation. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a PsyOp spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

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

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Counterintelligence

At 9th level, you learn to be prepared for whatever obstacles your enemies try to place in your way. If you are at disadvantage to hit a creature with an attack, you can use your bonus action to remove that disadvantage. (Note that this removes a single instance of disadvantage rather than granting advantage, so a separate instance of advantage can provide its full benefit while multiple instances of disadvantage would still cause disadvantage.)

When you use this bonus action, you can expend a Head Die to grant yourself advantage (on top of the removed disadvantage). If the attack hits, add the die roll to the damage.

Inflicted Weakness

At 13th level, you develop the ability to trigger weaknesses in an opponent that they might not have previously been aware of. As a bonus action, you can expend a Head Die to select a number of targets equal to your Intelligence modifier that are within 60 feet of you. Roll the expended die. For one minute or until you are incapacitated, the selected creatures are vulnerable to a damage type determined by the die roll and the table below.

Roll	Damage Type
1	Cold
2	Fire
3	Lightning
4	Poison
5	Thunder
6	Psychic
7-9	Your choice from the table
10	Your choice from all damage types

Mind Games

Also at 13th level, your increased proficiency at messing with enemies' minds manifests as increased versatility with your Head Dice. You gain the following advantages:

• Elevated Influence: When you expend Head Dice to cast a spell, you can expend up to two extra Head Dice. Each extra die increases the level of the casting by one and adds the die to the dice effect.
• Reaping the Benefits: When a creature that is under the influence of one of your PsyOp spells or abilities dies, you regain one Head Die. You can do this a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1), regaining all opportunities at the end of a long rest.

In Their Head

At 17th level, you are able to get into an enemy's head to an extent that every mistake they make damages them. As a bonus action, expend one of your Head Dice and target a creature within 120 feet of you. The target must attempt a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, whenever the creature takes any damage, it also takes your Head Die roll in psychic damage and can attempt another Wisdom save with disadvantage. If any of the original damage was psychic, it takes two Head Dice rolls in psychic damage. Psychic damage taken while under the influence of this effect cannot be healed until this effect is lifted by a successful save, the PsyOp losing concentration (as on a spell), 1 minute passing, or the PsyOp canceling the effect with a bonus action.

When you deliver sneak attack damage to a creature under the influence of this ability, that damage can also be psychic.

Even though this feature inflicts neither condition, creatures immune to both the charmed and frightened conditions are immune to this feature.

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