Showman (5e Class)

SHOWMAN

An Elf pauses while walking a trail tilts her head as a group of bandits approach, summoning her leopard pet at her side and commanding it to attack.

A figure heavily obscured by shadow in a corner of a tavern smirks as he has just won at a game of cards, the loser pulls a dagger and attacks, only to hit nothing as smoke takes the place of the once solid swindler.

Although more akin to tricksters and entertainers, Showman have an immense amount of control over the premise of fate and combat as a result. Able to summon allies in the form of beasts, wield powerful unique bound weapons and even minor spellcasting ability, Showman truly run the show. Being the limelight comes natural and they thrive off feats and skills that showcase their talents in a flashy and extravagant way.

Creating a Showman

When creating your character, answer these questions.
Why did you choose to be an entertainer?
How did you learn your abilities?
How do you entertain?
What lifestyle do you live?

Quick Build

You can make a Showman 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 Showman you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

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

Proficiencies

Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor
Weapons: Simple Weapons
Tools: All Gaming Sets, Two Artisan's Tools of your choice
Saving Throws: Dexterity and Charisma
Skills: Choose three from Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Performance, Persuasion and Sleight of Hand

Equipment

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

• (a) Choice of one Simple Weapon and a Hand Crossbow and 30 Bolts or (b) Choice of one Martial Weapon
• (a) Choice of one Artisan's Tools or (b) Choice of musical Instrument or (c) Choice of Gaming Set
• (a) Entertainer's Pack or (b) Burglar's Pack or (c) Explorer's Pack
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 5d4 x 10 GP in funds.

Table: The Showman

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Cards
1st	+2	Cards, Spellcasting	3
2nd	+2	Dice Addict, Smoke and Mirrors	4
3rd	+2	Performance Act Feature, Loaded Dice	5
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	6
5th	+3	Ambidextrous, Up the Sleeve	8
6th	+3	Performance Act Feature	9
7th	+3	Double Down, Mist and Reflection	10
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	11
9th	+4	Helping Hand, Spotlight	13
10th	+4	Performance Act Feature	14
11th	+4	Center Stage	15
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	16
13th	+5	Final Act, Master of the Arts	18
14th	+5	Performance Act Feature	19
15th	+5	Misdirection, Shade and Silver	20
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	21
17th	+6	Ring Leader, Role Reversal	23
18th	+6	Encore, Stacked Deck	24
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	25
20th	+6	52 Pickup	26

Cards

At 1st level, you gain a number of Cards equal to your Showman level plus you proficiency bonus(the number listed in the above table). You use this resource to perform various Showman features. You gain all cards back after a long rest and a number equal to your (Charisma Modifier, Minimum of 1) after a short rest.

Spellcasting

Also at 1st level you have an innate ability to replicate magic that you have seen used by others, able to be casted by using your cards. When you see a cantrip casted you may choose to add that spell to your repertoire by burning a card, you can hold a number of spells in your repertoire equal to your CHA Mod plus your Prof Bonus. You may cast any cantrip that you have in your repertoire at no cost other than a single playing card, if it requires material components. This playing card acts like a components pouch for the purposes of required materials. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for Spells

Dice Addict

Starting at 2nd level, you may burn a Card to re-roll any single die for any reason, you must take the second outcome.

Smoke and Mirrors

Also at 2nd level, if an attack made against you deals damage, you may use your reaction to burn a card and teleport to an unoccupied space within 10 feet, that you can see. Opportunity attacks are not granted by teleporting. You still suffer the damage caused by the attack.

Performance Act

At 3rd level, you chose an Act of Performance. Choose between Illusionist, Beast Tamer, Gambler or Arcane Arms, all detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th level, 10th level and 14th level

Loaded Dice

Also at 3rd level you may burn a Card to add your Charisma Modifier once per roll to a roll you just made. You can use this feature a number of times up to your proficiency bonus, you regain all expended uses back on a short or long rest.

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

Ambidextrous

Starting at 5th level when you cast a Spell that has a casting time of 1 Action, you can burn 2 Cards to change the casting time to 1 Bonus Action for that casting.

Up the Sleeve

Also at 5th level you now regain 1 Card back up to your max when you land a critical hit on an attack

Double Down

Starting at 7th level you may burn a Card once per round to gain another reaction or bonus action

Mist and Reflection

Also at 7th level Smoke and Mirrors may now reduce damage by half rounded down and can teleport an additional 10 feet away

Helping Hand

Starting 9th level as an action you may burn a card to grant temporary hit points to you or an ally you can see equal to your CHA mod times the receiver’s CON mod

Spotlight

Also at 9th level when an attack is made against you or an ally that you can see, as a reaction, you may burn a Card to impose disadvantage on the attacker

Center Stage

Starting at 11th level as an action you may burn a card to force a creature you can see to make a WIS, save DC = 8 + your CHA mod + your proficiency bonus, if the creature fails then it becomes stunned until the end of it's next turn

Final Act

Starting 13th level as an action you may burn up to 5 Cards and as an additional action or bonus action on this or a subsequent turn you may deal force damage to a single creature you can see equal to 1d4 + 1 per card burned.

Master of the Arts

Also at 13 level you gain expertise in one of your choice from Deception, Insight, Persuasion, Performance or Slight of hand. You may also choose a skill of your choice to gain proficiency in.

Misdirection

Starting 15th level when a saving throw is rolled by a creature you can see you may as a reaction burn a Card to cause disadvantage on the roll

Shade and Silver

Also at 15th level Smoke and Mirrors now reduces damage by half rounded down and can teleport up to 20 feet away

Ringleader

Starting 17th level you chose an attribute that you would like to raise by 2, up to 20, this can be swapped for a different attribute during a long rest

Role Reversal

Also at 17th level when a creature you can see is given a condition aside from unconscious, as a reaction you may burn a Card to hold that condition and the receiving creature does not receive it. Before the end of your next turn as a bonus action, you may burn another card to transfer the held condition to yourself, an ally or a different creature you can see. If the creature is unwilling they can make a Cha save to resist after which the held condition fades and can no longer be applied in this way.

Encore

Starting 18th level when you or an ally would be reduced to 0 Hit Points and you have at least 5 cards, you may use your reaction to burn at least 5 Cards and reduce that damage by 1d10 per Card burned.

Stacked Deck

Also at 18th level when you land a Critical hit, you may burn 2 Cards to roll 3 dice or triple the damage instead. The cost increases by 2 cards each time it's used but resets after taking a long rest.

52 Pickup

Upon reaching 20th level when an attack hits you and you have at least 5 cards, as a reaction you may burn all remaining cards to take only half damage and deal force damage equal to the amount taken back to the attacker.

Acts of Performance

Starting at 3rd level you chose a Performance Act Choose from Illusionist, Beast Tamer, Gambler, Arcane Arms or Fortune Teller. Each Act's features are listed below

Illusionist

You have focused time into mastering your Casting Cards and as such have found out how to cast higher level spells with them.

Cartomancy

When you select this Act at 3rd level You gain a better understanding of how to cast spells using your Cards and are now able to add and cast 1st level spells using your repertoire at the cost of burning 2 Cards. You also now can have a number of spells in your repertoire equal to your CHA mod times your Prof Bonus instead

Advanced Cartomancy

Starting at 6th level, you are now able to add and cast 2nd level spells using your repertoire at the cost of burning 4 Cards

Improved Cartomancy

Starting at 10th level, you are now able to add and cast 3rd level spells using your repertoire at the cost of burning 6 Cards

Tarrot Deck

Also at 10th level, You now use twice your Showman level and twice your proficiency bonus for your total max amount of Cards instead

Expert Cartomancy

Also at 14th level, you are now able to add and cast 4th level spells using your repertoire at the cost of burning 8 Cards

Beast Tamer

Being around animals have always made you feel more yourself, you can now summon one and command it at will

Companion

Starting when you select this Act at 3rd level, you have a beast that you have a special bond with and may summon it as an action by burning a Card and can unsummon it as a free action. Your beast must be of CR rating 1 or less when you choose it and gains additional bonuses to all stats based on your proficiency bonus. You assign it a role from the list below when you take this Act at 3rd level. As a bonus action you may control the beast and may both move and perform an action available to the beast by default or one from its selected role. This beast does not get any opportunity attacks. If reduced to 0 HP, you may only summon it again after burning another Card.(Tank / Brawler / Assassin / Disabler)

Role Trait

Starting 6th level, Your beast gains a Trait based on it's role. Tank = If your beast is within 5 feet of you any attack against you has disadvantage / Brawler = If your beast attacks and does not move on this round your beast may make an additional attack at disadvantage / Assassin = Your Beast's first attack made after being summoned gains advantage / Disabler = If your beast's attack lands, the targets speed is reduced by 10 until the end of their turn

Role Trait 2

Starting 10th level, Your beast gains a Trait based on it's role. Tank = If you start the round within 10 feet of your beast, both it and you have 5 temporary hit points that refresh at the start of your turn / Brawler = At the start of your turn your beast heals 1d4 hit points if it dealt damage last round / Assassin = The first attack after being summoned deals additional damage equal to your Showman level / Disabler = Your beast may make an attack at disadvantage if successful the target's speed is 0 until the end of their turn

Role Upgrade

Also at 10th level, You may now summon your beast as an action for free or as a bonus action by burning a card.

Role Trait 3

Starting 14th level, Your beast gains a Trait based on it's role. Tank = While within 10 feet of your beast, allies gain 5 temporary hit points, refreshing at the start of your turn / Brawler = Your beast also heals 1d4 hit points each time it successfully deals damage to a creature / Assassin = If you or your beast reduces a creature to 0 hit points your beast may move and attack at disadvantage as a free action regardless of previous actions / Disabler = Their attack to restrain is no longer made at disadvantage and if successful the target becomes grappled, the beast may choose to preform an unarmed attack dealing 1d4 S/P/B damage without releasing the target instead of move. The grappled target may attempt to escape contesting a DC = 15 Athletics or Acrobatics check.

Gambler

Playing games has always been your specialty and now you control your own fate at the table, cards, coins and dice are at your command

Marked Deck

Starting when you select this Act at 3rd level, you may burn a Card to gain advantage on a check or saving throw, this must be determined before rolling, you may do this a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest

Throwing Cards

Also at 3rd Level you also gain the ability to throw your cards as ranged weapons, which you are proficient with. Throwing Cards have a range of 15/30 and deal 1d6 Piercing Damage and use your Dex mod for an attack modifier.

Coin of fate

Starting at 6th level, as an Action you may burn a Card and roll a D10 or flip a coin (heads=even/tails=odd), any attack made against you until the start of your next turn must match the number rolled as being even or odd, after modifiers, otherwise it misses(if you roll a 2 or lands on heads, then the attack total must be an even number to hit) Even if the number doesn’t beat your AC it still hits for half DMG if the number matches

Improved Throwing Cards

Starting at 10th level, throwing Cards have a range of 25/50 and deal 1d8 Piercing Damage

Card Shark

Also at 10th, when you roll a natural 20 in any situation you now regain 1 card. You now regain cards equal to your Charisma modifier when you roll a critical hit during an attack.

Roll the Dice

Also at 10th level, when you or an ally is attacked on either damage or chance to hit you may use your reaction to burn a Card and force a full re-roll (All Dice Rolled), they must take the second outcome

Custom Dice

Starting 14th level, when you make a roll of dice for any reason (attack/dmg/checks/throws/ect) you may burn a Card to re-roll the whole roll of dice but you must take the second outcome. This increases in cost by one Card each time used but resets on a long rest

Perfect Throwing Cards

Also at 14th level, throwing Cards have a range of 40/80 and deal 1d10 Piercing Damage

Arcane Arms

You have always been a fighter at heart and as such you have bonded with a special weapon imbuing it with your essence, using it to massive effect in the heat of combat.

Bound Weapon

Starting when you select this Act at 3rd level when you chose this Act, you bond with a weapon and destroy it in the process. Your bound weapon can be summoned and dispelled just as you draw a normal weapon at the cost of one Card each summon and has all default non magical properties of the weapon bound at base level. You may bond with a different weapon once per long rest, but may only have one bound weapon at anytime.(This becomes two at level 10) Depending on what weapon you bond to, different traits will be given as you gain levels in this archetype. Examples include, One Handed(rapier), Dual Wield(sword and dagger), Two Handed(great axe), Thrown(thrown melee or darts), Shot(bow or crossbow) If the weapon can be more than one of these types, you gain all feats of the weapons type as long as the weapon is being used in that way for the attack.(Dagger can be Thrown, Dual Wielded and One Handed, but it can have only one feature at a time based on how you use it.)

Bound Feature

Starting 3rd level when you bond with a weapon, you gain a feature based on your bound weapon type, that you can activate by burning a Card. One Handed = Add a +1 to hit and an additional 1d4 force damage / Dual Wield = When you take the attack action you may make two attacks one normal and another attack with disadvantage / Two Handed = When you make an attack you may chose to deal half damage and knock back the target 5 feet directly away from you / Thrown = You no longer gain Disadvantage past your optimal weapon range / Shot = When you make an attack you may chose to deal half damage now and full damage again next round by detonating the projectile.

Setup

Starting 6th level, as an action you may burn a Card to attack with your bound weapon, if the attack hits you deal no damage and mark the target with Set Up. Every subsequent successful physical attack (not spells) from any source (ally/terrain/poison/ect) adds a point to the mark. The mark lasts till consumed or the creature dies. The mark loses all points when it dispels. You have advantage when attacking with your bound weapon against the marked target. When you hit a target marked with set up with your bound weapon you may burn a Card to consume the mark and roll an additional 1d4 damage per point of Set Up on the target

Bound Upgrade

Also at 6th level, Your bound weapon gains the stats of a +1 weapon

Bound Deck

Starting 10th level, If you deal the final blow to a threatening (DMs Jurisdiction) creature using your bound weapon, you regain cards equal to your proficiency bonus.

Bound Upgrade 2

Also at 10th level, Your bound weapon gains the stats of a +2 weapon, you can also swap from one Bound weapon to another as a bonus action

Bound Feature 2

Starting 14th level Your bound weapon feature upgrades. One Handed = Add a +2 to hit and an additional 1d6 force damage instead / Dual Wield = Your second attack is no longer at Disadvantage / Two Handed = When you make an attack you may chose to deal half damage and knock back the target up to 15 feet directly away from you / Thrown = Your Bound weapon's range limits double / Shot = When you make an attack you may chose to deal full damage now and full damage again next round by detonating the projectile.

Bound Upgrade 3

Also at 14th level, Your bound weapon gains the stats of a +3 weapon

Fortune Teller

You have have an uncanny knack for reading someone or somethings future, and also how to manipulate that very essence to fit your ideals of reality.

Prophecy

When you select this Act at 3rd level, during a long rest you must roll 2d20 and save the values rolled. As a reaction, by burning a Card you may swap the value of a d20 just rolled by anyone within 60 feet for one that you have saved. If used on an unwilling creature they may make a wisdom saving throw to resist the effects. If used on a dice roll that the player cannot see, the decision must be made without knowing what the value is.

Read the Cards

Starting at 6th level, when a creature rolls a critical hit or critical miss, as a reaction, you may burn 1 card to negate the critical effects of the roll additionally you now regain 1 card when any creature you can see lands a critical hit.

Re-write

Also at 6th level, When you take a short rest, you may choose to re roll both of your Prophecy dice. In addition, if using Prophecy doesn't change the outcome of the roll then its card cost is refunded, you however still keep the new d20.

Vice and Virtue

Starting at 10th level, as an action you may cast both the bane and bless spells simultaneously at the cost of burning 2 cards. This may effect up to 6 creatures in total. Count this feature as only concentrating on one spell.

Greater Prophet

Also at 14th level, you may burn 5 cards to gain the benefits of any one of these effects:

~When a creature starts it's turn, as a reaction you view the actions of a single creature you can see through the influences of the stars, and you read what is written there. The target creature makes a Charisma saving throw, on a failure you can predict that creature's actions. This has the following effects: You have advantage on attack rolls against the creature. For every 5 feet the creature moves, you can move 5 feet (up to your normal movement) on the creature's turn when it has completed its movement. You can warn yourself and allies that can hear you of the target's offensive intentions; any creature targeted by the target's next attack gains a +2 bonus to AC or on its saving throw against that attack. At the end of each of its turns, the target repeats the Charisma saving throw. On a success, the spell ends.

~As an action you tap into the life force of a creature that is capable of performing legendary Actions. When you cast the spell, the target creature must make a successful Constitution saving throw or lose the ability to take legendary Actions for the spell's Duration. A creature can't use legendary Resistance to automatically succeed on the saving throw against this spell. An affected creature repeats the saving throw at the end of its turn, regaining 1 legendary Action on a success. It continues repeating the saving throw for 1 hour or it regains all its legendary Actions.

~As an action you and up to 3 other willing creatures that you can see within 30 feet of you can see the flickering shadows of fate a few seconds into the future. When the spell is cast, all other Creatures within 90 feet of you make Wisdom Saving Throws. Those that fail must declare, in Initiative order, what their next Action will be. You and your effected allies declare your Actions last, after hearing what all other Creatures will do. All creatures that declared an Action must follow their declarations as closely as possible when their turn comes. Until the start of your next turn, you and your affected allies have advantage on Attack rolls, Ability Checks, and Saving Throws, and Creatures that declared their Action have disadvantage on attacks against them.

Once you have used one of the effects of this feature you may not use that same effect again till you complete a long rest.

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