Sawbones (5e Class)

Sawbones

A mysterious elf clad in an intimidating leather suit traverses the plague-riddled village. They enter the cabin and find the human child on death’s door. He is burning up and delirious. The elf gets to work, unfurling a cloth filled with various tools, elixirs, and a holy symbol. They say some holy words, as they apply the cool elixir to the child’s forehead.

A kobold in bulky armor rushes onto an active battlefield, her snout grazed by a wanton arrow. She trips in the mud, stuck on her back due to the massive leather pack she carries on her back, before righting herself. She finds the goblin soldier, mangled in the mud, and drags him into a ditch, into relative safety. She wipes the blood from her face and pulls out a rusty bonesaw. She hands the goblin a wad of cloth, with only three words: “Here, bite this.”

An orc hears the bell in his barbershop ring as a pained-looking dwarf stumbles in, clutching her hand. Her mane immaculately trimmed, she doesn’t look like she’s in need of a haircut. The orc cracks his knuckles, as he puts away the hairy broom next to the bloody mop, and puts on a smock. She rolls up her sleeve, as he gazes down at the necrosis. It appears to be magical in nature. He sighs slightly through his nose, as he knows he’ll have his work cut out for him, and he’ll be getting home late again tonight. All of these versatile specialists, born out of necessity, are sawbones, providing a more practical approach to medicine. They don’t cast fancy spells, but rather patch people up through careful work and a strong stomach. From learned and accomplished physicians to battlefield doctors, to apothecaries who focus on the powers of nature, to those used to dealing with more supernatural afflictions, a sawbones’ skill with a blade and competence cements their role as a skilled healer.

Masters of the Craft

A sawbones’ role as a healer is a necessary one in a village or party of adventurers. Some are trained physicians, though many also work many other jobs, such as smiths and barbers. As such, they are well-rounded craftsmen, honed in on their perception. Some use their variety of skills to perfect their craft, some combine it with magical learning to combat the supernatural, some take up arms with surgical precision, some brew various potions and elixirs to help those in need. Beyond their fundamental role as a healer, sawbones vary in the methods to their madness.

The Gift of Healing

Despite their grizzly reputation, the sawbones at their core is driven by saving lives and helping others. Stories far and wide have spread about skilled doctors saving people from certain doom with blades in hand. A wandering sawbones often helps people as they go, often for greater reward, or potentially a personal validation of sorts. Whatever it may be, a sawbones who chooses the adventuring life seeks great rewards, and knows better than anyone the bloodshed the promise of said rewards leaves in its wake.

Creating a Sawbones

As you put together a sawbones, think about your sawbones’ motivations. While many stay behind in their village or camp, what drove your sawbones to answer the call to adventure? Any villager with enough training can pick up a scalpel. What is it that sets your sawbones apart? Were you trained by a mentor? Did you study medicine in a prestigious academy? Are you a back-alley quack who joined up with a gaggle of rowdy adventurers on a whim?

Quick Build

You can make a Sawbones quickly by following these suggestions. First, Wisdom should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. If you are playing a Sifu, make Dexterity your next-best score. If you are playing a Combat Medic, make Strength your next-best score. Second, choose the Guild Artisan background.

Class Features

As a Sawbones you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

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

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Clubs, daggers, darts, handaxes, light hammers, sickles, and slings
Tools: Healer's kits, cleaning supplies, two other sets of artisan's tools
Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
Skills: Choose two from the following skills: Animal Handling, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Perception, and Sleight of Hand.

Equipment

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

• Leather armor
• A healer's kit, a bonesaw, a bottle of painkillers, and a smock
• (a) two handaxes or (b) two daggers
• (a) cleaning supplies or (b) one other set of artisan's tools
• (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack or (c) a scholar's pack
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 5d4x10 gp in funds.

Table: The Sawbones

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Bladework Die	Features
1st	+2	-	Patch-Up, Quick and Nimble Hands, Resourceful
2nd	+2	d6	Bladework, Expertise
3rd	+2	d6	Rescuer, Sawbones Practice
4th	+2	d6	Ability Score Improvement
5th	+3	d8	Resuscitation, Tend to the Wounded and Worn
6th	+3	d8	Sawbones Practice feature
7th	+3	d8	Acquired Immunity
8th	+3	d8	Ability Score Improvement
9th	+4	d8	Sawbones Practice feature
10th	+4	d8	Monstrous Harvest
11th	+4	d10	Expertise
12th	+4	d10	Ability Score Improvement
13th	+5	d10	Improved Bladework
14th	+5	d10	Sawbones Practice feature
15th	+5	d10	Resourcefulness improvement
16th	+5	d10	Ability Score Improvement
17th	+6	d12	Monstrous Harvest improvement
18th	+6	d12	Sawbones Practice feature
19th	+6	d12	Ability Score Improvement
20th	+6	d12	Superior Bladework

Patch-Up

As an action, you can expend a use of your healer’s kit to treat the wounds of an ally within 5ft of you. When you do so, they can expend a number of their hit dice up to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1).

Quick and Nimble Hands

You can use a bonus action to perform any of the following actions: disengage, stabilize a creature using a Wisdom (Medicine) check or by expending a use of your healer's kit, or use a potion on yourself or an ally within 5ft of you.

Resourcefulness

You can gain twenty use out of a healer’s kit instead of ten.

When you reach 15th level in this class, this increases to forty uses.

Bladework

At 2nd level, you gain the following features:

- When a creature expends at least one hit die through your Patch-Up feature, they heal an additional amount equal to your bladework die.

- Once per turn, when you hit with a weapon attack, you can deal additional damage equal to your bladework die.

Expertise

At 2nd level, choose two skills or sets of artisan's tools with which you are proficient. When making a check with these skills or tools, you can double your proficiency bonus. You gain expertise in two additional skills or sets of artisan's tools with which you are proficient when you reach 11th level in this class.

Rescuer

At 3rd level, your carrying capacity increases to one creature size larger than you, and you ignore difficult terrain.

Sawbones Practice

At 3rd level, you chose a practice. Choose between Practitioner, Combat Medic, Forager, Occultist, Plague Doctor, and Sifu, all detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 9th, 14th, and 18th level.

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.

Resuscitation

At 5th level, you can use your action to revive a character who has died within the last minute as an action. They are considered alive and stabilized, but unconscious, and gain a level of exhaustion. Their body must be intact in order to do so. Once you use this feature, you cannot do so again until you complete a long rest.

Tend to the Wounded and Worn

At 5th level, you gain an additional number of Hit Dice equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). These hit dice differ from your normal hit dice in the following ways:

- You can spend them on yourself or your allies, but only during a short rest.

- They use your bladework dice rather than your normal hit die type.

- You add your Wisdom modifier to each die, instead of the target’s Constitution modifier.

Acquired Immunity

At 7th level, you have advantage on Constitution saving throws vs. poison and disease.

Monstrous Harvest

At 10th level, you can spend 10 minutes to harvest and preserve the body parts of a dead monster to utilize its innate powers for yourself. On a success, you gain a single use of a toxin, breath weapon, or gaze ability (such as a beholder's eye rays or a basilisk's petrifying gaze) granted by the dead creature. The DC equals the creature’s DC or 8 plus your Wisdom modifier plus your proficiency bonus, whichever is higher. You can only have one monstrous harvest at a time.

When you reach 17th level in this class, you can have up to two monstrous harvests at a time.

Improved Bladework

At 13th level, you gain an additional bladework die when you apply this feature to the Patch-Up feature or to your weapon damage.

When you reach 20th level in this class, this bonus increases to two additional bladework dice.

Superior Bladework

At 20th level, when rolling one or more Patch-Up dice, you can choose to instantly roll maximum on all bladework dice instead of rolling. Once you use this feature, you cannot do so again until you complete a short or long rest.

Practitioner

Those who embody the Practitioner have rigorously studied medicine as trained physicians, and as a result are gifted healers like no other. Rather than relying on magic, practitioners rely on precise skill and vast medical knowledge to heal the sick.

Vast Studies

You have delved into various texts from many different civilizations to perfect your medical knowledge. You gain two additional languages.

Precise Bladework

When you take this practice at 3rd level, the minimum you can roll on each of your bladework dice is equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1).

Pristine Healing

At 6th level, when an ally regains hit points through your Patch-Up feature, they gain additional temporary hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier plus half your sawbones level, rounded down. These temporary hit points last for up to an hour.

Sharp Acumen

At 9th level, you can add a bladework die to an Intelligence or Wisdom ability check you make. You can do so after you roll but before you know whether you succeed or not. Once you do so, you cannot do so again until you complete a short or long rest.

At 18th level, you gain an additional use of this feature before completing a short or long rest.

Vital Assessment

At 14th level, you can tell at a glance if a creature is below half its hit points, as well as any conditions the creature is currents affected by. In addition, spend at least 1 minute observing a creature to learn one of the following details about it:

- Lowest physical ability score (Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution)

- Lowest mental ability score (Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma)

- Creature type and creature tags if any, if not disguised

- Condition immunities, if any

- Damage immunities, if any

- Damage vulnerabilities, if any

At 18th level, you can choose an additional detail off of this list when you use this feature.

Combat Medic

The Combat Medic plays a unique role in delivering quick and vital medicine in a hectic and perilous battlefield. As such, they are trained to hold their own and deliver a quick response to danger.

Trained for War

When you choose this practice at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with medium armor and shields, as well as all simple and martial weapons.

Fighting Style

When you take this practice at 3rd level, you additionally gain one of the following fighting styles: Defense, Interception, or Protection.

Extra Attack

At 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once when you take the Attack action.

Battle Ready

At 9th level, when you roll initiative, you can choose to add your Bladework die to the roll.

Once you do so, you cannot do so again until you complete a short or long rest.

Hardened

At 14th level, you have advantage on Wisdom saving throws vs. being frightened.

Versatile Combatant

At 18th level, when you take the Attack action, you can dash, make an additional attack, or use the Patch-Up feature as a bonus action.

Forager

Those who wander the path of the forager harness herbal remedies and the powers of nature in their healing. Foragers use a variety of elixirs, incantations, and herbs in their craft and are accustomed to dire survival settings.

Spellcasting

At 3rd level, you enhance your healing with magic.

Cantrips

You learn two cantrips of your choice from the druid spell list. You gain an additional druid cantrip of your choice at 10th level.

Spell Slots

The Sawbones Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your druid spells of 1st level or higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. For example, if you know the 1st level spell Goodberry and have a 1st level and a 2nd level spell slot available, you can cast Goodberry using either slot.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

You know three 1st level druid spells of your choice, two of which you must choose from the divination and transmutation spells on the druid spell list. The Spells Known column of the Sawbones Spellcasting table shows when you learn more druid spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be a divination or transmutation spell of your choice, and must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 2nd level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level. The spells you learn at 8th, 14th, and 20th level can come from any school of magic.

Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the druid spells you know with another spell of your choice from the druid spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots, and it must be a divination or transmutation spell, unless you’re replacing the spell you gained at 3rd, 8th, 14th, or 20th level from any school of magic.

Spellcasting Ability

Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your druid spells.

- Spell save DC: 8 plus your Wisdom modifier plus your proficiency bonus

- Spell attack bonus: Your wisdom modifier plus your proficiency bonus

Extra Proficiencies

You are proficient with herbalism kits. As long as you are carrying an herbalism kit, you don't need to expend a use of your healer's kit to use the Patch-Up feature. In addition, you gain proficiency in Intelligence (Nature) checks if you aren't proficient already.

Cleansing Salve

At 6th level, when using the Patch-Up feature, a target can spend a hit die to negate the effect of any poison. In addition, you are resistant to poison damage.

When you reach 14th level, you become immune to poison.

Herbal Concoction

At 9th level, when you use a healing potion on yourself or an ally, or when you use a poison on someone, treat all rolled 1s and 2s as a 3 on the die.

When you reach 18th level, you instead always roll the maximum amount on the dice.

Occultist

While your average sawbones is more equipped to deal with maladies and injury, occultists frequently find themselves dealing with more supernatural afflictions. Occultists are trained exorcists and witch doctors who specialize in curses and banishment.

Spellcasting

At 3rd level, you enhance your healing with magic.

Cantrips

You learn two cantrips of your choice from the warlock spell list. You gain an additional warlock cantrip of your choice at 10th level.

Spell Slots

The Sawbones Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your warlock spells of 1st level or higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. For example, if you know the 1st level spell Protection of Evil and Good and have a 1st level and a 2nd level spell slot available, you can cast Protection of Evil and Good using either slot.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

You know three 1st level warlock spells of your choice, two of which you must choose from the abjuration and enchantment spells on the warlock spell list. The Spells Known column of the Sawbones Spellcasting table shows when you learn more warlock spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be an abjuration or enchantment spell of your choice, and must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 2nd level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level. The spells you learn at 8th, 14th, and 20th level can come from any school of magic.

Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the warlock spells you know with another spell of your choice from the warlock spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots, and it must be an abjuration or enchantment spell, unless you’re replacing the spell you gained at 3rd, 8th, 14th, or 20th level from any school of magic.

Spellcasting Ability

Unlike your typical warlock, who uses charisma through dealing with pact magic, Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your warlock spells, as your learning comes from hands-on experience and bizarre rituals rather than a patron’s influence.

- Spell save DC: 8 plus your Wisdom modifier plus your proficiency bonus

- Spell attack bonus: Your wisdom modifier plus your proficiency bonus

Extra Proficiencies

You gain proficiency in Intelligence (Arcana) checks if you aren’t proficient already. In addition, you learn one of the following languages: Abyssal, Deep Speech, or Infernal.

Doctor of Magical Maladies

At 6th level, you have vast experience working against powerful magical effects, and have had lots of exposure to the magic of dark and terrifying monsters. You gain advantage on Charisma saving throws vs. being possessed or banished, and on Constitution saving throws vs. petrification effects.

Expel Evil

At 9th level, you gain the spell Remove Curse. This does not count against your Spells Known. You can spend an additional 10 minutes to cast this spell without expending a spell slot, as if it were a ritual spell, or cast it using a 3rd level spell slot as normal when you gain one at 13th level (or if you somehow already have one, such as through multiclassing).

Blood Offering

At 14th level, you can reduce your current and maximum hit points by 3d6 to remove a level of exhaustion from an ally within 5ft of you, or alternatively remove one of the following effects:

- One effect that charmed or petrified the target

- One curse, including the target’s attunement to a cursed magic item

- Any reduction to one of the target’s ability scores

- One effect reducing the target’s hit point maximum

You cannot use this feature on yourself. In addition, each additional time you use this feature after the first before you complete a long rest, you take a level of exhaustion.

Physician of Wonders

At 18th level, you can use the Patch-Up feature as an action on a number of creatures within 30 feet of you up to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). This expends a number of uses on your healer's kit equal for every creatures who benefit from this. Once you use this feature, you cannot do so again until you complete a long rest.

Plague Doctor

Grim heroes who often find themselves digging through wheelbarrows of the dead, a plague doctor’s journey is a solemn one. The plague doctor combines a vast array of medicines with divine magic and psalms to stave off the forces of sickness and death.

Spellcasting

At 3rd level, you enhance your healing with magic.

Cantrips

You learn two cantrips of your choice from the cleric spell list. You gain an additional cleric cantrip of your choice at 10th level.

Spell Slots

The Sawbones Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your cleric spells of 1st level or higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. For example, if you know the 1st level spell Protection from Evil and Good and have a 1st level and a 2nd level spell slot available, you can cast Protection from Evil and Good using either slot.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

You know three 1st level cleric spells of your choice, two of which you must choose from the abjuration and necromancy spells on the cleric spell list. The Spells Known column of the Sawbones Spellcasting table shows when you learn more cleric spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be an abjuration or necromancy spell of your choice, and must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 2nd level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level. The spells you learn at 8th, 14th, and 20th level can come from any school of magic.

Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the cleric spells you know with another spell of your choice from the cleric spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots, and it must be an abjuration or necromancy spell, unless you’re replacing the spell you gained at 3rd, 8th, 14th, or 20th level from any school of magic.

Spellcasting Ability

Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your cleric spells.

- Spell save DC: 8 plus your Wisdom modifier plus your proficiency bonus

- Spell attack bonus: Your wisdom modifier plus your proficiency bonus

Extra Proficiencies

You gain proficiency in Intelligence (Religion) checks if you aren't proficient already.

Inoculation

At 6th level, when using the Patch-Up feature, a target can spend a hit die to negate the effect of a disease. In addition, you are immune to disease and resistant to necrotic damage.

Stave Off Forces of Death

At 9th level, you can add your bladework die to the death saving throw of a creature within 30ft of you as a reaction. Once you do so, you can’t do so again until you complete a short or long rest.

At 18th level, you can use this feature twice before completing a short or long rest.

Inured to Death and Pestilence

At 14th level, you become immune to necrotic damage, and your hit point maximum and Strength score can't be reduced by any means short of a Wish spell.

Sifu

The sifu has a unique mastery, mixing contemporary and ancient medicine. They are revered healers who offer healing through their use of martial arts and pressure points. To master one’s flow of ki, and maintain perfect health, the body, mind, and soul must all be perfected through martial arts. As such, the sifu is not only seen as a healer, but also a source of guidance and wisdom when things are dire.

Lotus Arts

You gain proficiency with all simple weapons, so long as they do not have the heavy or two-handed property. When you make a weapon attack, or when you use the Patch-Up feature as an action, you can make an unarmed strike as a bonus action. This unarmed strike uses your bladework die as the damage die. Your unarmed attacks and simple weapons that do not have the heavy or two-handed property can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack roll and the damage. In addition, your AC when not wearing armor is 12 plus your Dexterity modifier.

Traditional Healing

You do not need to expend a use of your healer’s kit when using the Patch-Up feature on an ally. Additionally, when an ally spends at least one of their hit dice through your Patch-Up, they gain advantage on their next attack roll, ability check, or saving throw.

Countering Blow

At 6th level, you can spend a reaction to boost your AC or the AC of an ally within 5ft of you by your Wisdom modifier (minimum of +1). If you cause an attack to miss this way, you can make an unarmed strike against the target as part of the same reaction. As per your bonus action unarmed strike, the attack’s damage die is equal to your bladework die.

Restore Ki Flow

At 9th level, when you complete a short or long rest, you or an ally has advantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws made with an ability of your choice for the next hour. For the duration, the target also cannot be frightened, paralyzed, or poisoned.

When you reach 18th level, you can apply this benefit two creatures, including yourself, and they have advantage on all attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws made for the next hour.

Pressure Point Mastery

At 14th level, you can use your action to end the paralyzed or stunned condition on yourself. In addition, when you use the Patch-Up feature on an ally, they can spend 1 hit die to end the paralyzed or stunned condition.

In addition, once per long rest, a target can also spend 1 hit die to remove 1 level of exhaustion.

Sawbones Spellcasting Table

Sawbones Level	Cantrips Known	Spells Known	1st	2nd	3rd	4th
3rd	2	3	2	-	-	-
4th	2	4	3	-	-	-
5th	2	4	3	-	-	-
6th	2	4	3	-	-	-
7th	2	5	4	2	-	-
8th	2	6	4	2	-	-
9th	2	6	4	2	-	-
10th	3	7	4	3	-	-
11th	3	8	4	3	-	-
12th	3	8	4	3	-	-
13th	3	9	4	3	2	-
14th	3	10	4	3	2	-
15th	3	10	4	3	2	-
16th	3	11	4	3	3	-
17th	3	11	4	3	3	-
18th	3	11	4	3	3	-
19th	3	12	4	3	3	1
20th	3	13	4	3	3	1
For the Forager, Occultist, and Plague Doctor subclasses only

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Sawbones class, you must meet these prerequisites: Wisdom score of 13

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Sawbones class, you gain the following proficiencies: light armor, healer's kits, one set of artisan's tools

A homebrew 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons class by AestheticDirt

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