Taoist Warrior (5e Class)

Taoist Warrior

Urlach and his brothers and sisters rise from their meditation, feeling replenished and fully aware. Now it was time for them to move out into the training yard. This routine of meditation followed by rigorous physical training is commonplace among the monasteries of the Taoist Warriors. These warriors exhibit the same expectancy of self-betterment and perfect balance as many monks, but unlike most monks, they do so through a deep and integral understanding of war and all of its facets rather than spirituality alone. It is through this understanding of war and violence that they achieve their inner peace.

Creating a Taoist Warrior

Taoist warriors are seldom born into their orders, as most are veterans who seek inner peace after their time at war. This is a major question to ask yourself: what is the nature of your wartime trauma? Do you still seek a life of bloodshed and violence? Perhaps you seek redemption for the suffering you've caused? Or is it as simple as needing kinship among other wounded warriors?

Quick Build

You can make a Taoist Warrior quickly by following these suggestions. First, Strength or Constitution should be your highest ability score, followed by Wisdom. Second, choose the Folk Hero or Soldier background.

Class Features

As a Taoist Warrior you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d10 per Taoist Warrior level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution modifier per Taoist Warrior level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: shields
Weapons: simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Wisdom, Strength
Skills: Pick two from Athletics, History, Nature, Religion, Insight, Medicine, Perception and Persuasion.

Equipment

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

• (a) Any two martial weapons or (b) A martial weapon and a shield
• (a) A shortbow and 20 Arrows or (b) 4 javelins
• (a) An arcane focus (Can be Arcane tattoos) or (b) A holy symbol (Can be a tattooed Emblem)
• (a) Explorer's Pack or (b) Priest's Pack
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 3d6x10 in funds.

Table: The Taoist Warrior

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Cantrips Known	Features	—Spell Slots per Spell Level—
				1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
1st	+2	0	Unarmored Defense, Fighting Style	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+2	2	Spellcasting, Taoist Brotherhood	2	—	—	—	—
3rd	+2	2	Vital Soul	3	—	—	—	—
4th	+2	2	Ability Score Improvement	3	—	—	—	—
5th	+3	2	Extra Attack	4	2	—	—	—
6th	+3	2	Tranquility	4	2	—	—	—
7th	+3	2	Brotherhood Feature, Battle Clarity	4	3	—	—	—
8th	+3	3	Ability Score Improvement	4	3	—	—	—
9th	+4	3	—	4	3	2	—	—
10th	+4	3	Brotherhood Feature	4	3	2	—	—
11th	+4	3	Spirit Surge	4	3	3	—	—
12th	+4	3	Ability Score Improvement	4	3	3	—	—
13th	+5	3	—	4	3	3	1	—
14th	+5	3	Mind and Body	4	3	3	1	—
15th	+5	3	Brotherhood Feature	4	3	3	2	—
16th	+5	3	Ability Score Improvement, Brotherhood Feature	4	3	3	2	—
17th	+6	3	—	4	3	3	3	1
18th	+6	3	Improved Battle Clarity	4	3	3	3	1
19th	+6	3	Ability Score Improvement	4	3	3	3	2
20th	+6	3	Spirit Surge Improvement	4	3	3	3	2

Unarmored Defense

Beginning at 1st level, while not wearing armor, your AC equals 10 + your Wisdom modifier + your Constitution modifier. You may still use a shield and gain this benefit.

Fighting Style

At 1st level, you adopt a style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get the option to do so.

Stonewall Style

You may wield your shield with both hands, increasing the AC bonus of that shield by 1. Additionally, you may now attack with your shield, dealing 1d8 + your Strength modifier bludgeoning damage. You are proficient in the use of your shield as a weapon.

Ironhand Style

Your unarmed strikes now deal 1d6 + your Strength modifier bludgeoning damage. If you use your action to make a weapon or unarmed attack, you may make a single unarmed attack as a bonus action.

Two-Weapon Fighting

When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you may add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.

Great Weapon Fighting

While wielding a weapon with the versatile or two-handed property with both hands, you may reroll any damage die that lands on a 1 or 2. You must take the new damage value rolled.

Spellcasting

You draw your power from deep within yourself, manifesting that power as destructive and restorative energies.

Cantrips

At 2nd level, you know 2 cantrips of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. You learn additional cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Taoist Warrior table.

Spell Slots

The Taoist Warrior table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and 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 wrathful smite and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast wrathful smite using either slot.

Spells Known of 2nd Level and Higher

The Taoist Warrior table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells. To cast one of your taoist spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a spell slot of equal or greater value to the spell. Upon completion of a long rest, you regain all expended spell slots.

You prepare the list of your taoist spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the paladin and sorcerer spell lists. When preparing your spell list, choose a number of taoist spells equal to your Wisdom modifier + half of your Taoist Warrior level, rounded down (Minimum of one spell). You may only learn spells of a level you have spell slots for.

As a taoist spellcaster, you may trade out your prepared spells upon completion of a long rest. For every spell that you trade, at least 1 minute must be spent in meditation during the long rest.

Spellcasting Ability

Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your taoist spells, as it is through mental fortitude and spiritual strength that you control your magic. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a taoist spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

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

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Spellcasting Focus

You can use an arcane focus or holy symbol as a spellcasting focus for your taoist spells.

Taoist Brotherhood

Upon reaching 2nd level, you devote yourself to the teachings of a particular Taoist Brotherhood. Though the basic mantras of the Taoist Warriors have rung true in your heart up until this point, it is at this point that you allow those teachings to permeate your spirit. Now you choose the teachings of The Hand of Mercy, The Silent Order, or The Word of Ruin, all detailed at the end of the class description.

Your choice grants you features at 2nd level, and again at 7th, 10th, 15th, and 16th level. Those features include Brotherhood spells.

Brotherhood Spells

Every brotherhood has a list of associated spells. You gain access to those spells at the levels specified in the brotherhood description. Once you gain access to a brotherhood spell, you always have it prepared. Brotherhood spells do not count against the number of spells you can prepare.

If a brotherhood spell does not appear in the taoist spell list (paladin and sorcerer) they are nonetheless taoist spells for you.

Vital Soul

Beginning at 3rd level, you become immune to disease, magical or otherwise.

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.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, when you use your action to make a weapon or unarmed attack, you may attack twice rather than once. Moreover, you can cast one of your cantrips in place of one of those attacks.

Tranquility

Beginning at 6th level, you may add your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1) to all saving throws.

Battle Clarity

Beginning at 7th level, when using your action to cast a taoist cantrip, you may use your bonus action to make a single weapon or unarmed attack. At 18th level, when using your action to cast a taoist spell, you may use your bonus action to make a single weapon or unarmed attack.

Spirit Surge

Beginning at 11th level, once before completing a long rest, upon completion of a short rest, you may choose to regain spell slots of a total value equal to your Wisdom modifier. (Example: One 2nd level spell slot and two 1st level spell slots with a Wisdom modifier of +4) At 20th level, you may use this feature to regain spell slots of a total value equal to two times your Wisdom modifier. Note that you may not grant yourself spell slots that you do not have access to and you can not exceed your spell slot allowance for any level of spell.

Mind and Body

Beginning at 14th level, you begin to age far more slowly, aging only 1 year in the span of a decade. Additionally, you no longer require food or water.

Taoist Brotherhoods

The path of a Taoist Warrior is one rife with trials and boons alike. Though this fact remains a constant, taoists follow vastly different roads on their path to enlightenment.

The Hand of Mercy

These taoists are guardians and healers above all else. Though they are more than capable of holding their own, they are more likely to be seen healing their allies than slaying their foes on the fields of battle.

Hand of Mercy Spells

Taoist Warrior Level	Spells
3rd	cure wounds, healing word
5th	prayer of healing, lesser restoration
9th	beacon of hope, mass healing word
13th	death ward, aura of life
17th	mass cure wounds, greater restoration

Font of Healing

Beginning at 2nd level, whenever you cast a spell of 1st level or higher to restore another creature's hit points, the creature regains additional hit points equal to your proficiency bonus.

Wrath of the Merciful

Beginning at 7th level, when you use your action to make a weapon or unarmed attack, your attacks deal an additional 1d6 necrotic damage.

Healer's Gift

Beginning at 10th level, whenever you cast a spell of 1st level or higher to restore another creature's hit points, you regain hit points equal to your proficiency bonus.

My Blood in Your Veins

Beginning at 15th level, as a bonus action, you may grant a creature other than yourself resistance to all damage types until the beginning of your next turn. Whenever this creature takes damage, you also take the same amount of damage.

Fury of the Merciful

Beginning at 16th level, the additional damage granted by Wrath of the Merciful increases to 1d10 necrotic damage.

The Silent Order

Warriors who follow the teachings of the Silent Order are disciples of darkness and serenity. In their silence, in their secrecy, they are truly at peace. It is through this unique brand of serenity that they are able to tear their enemies apart from behind their ranks.

Silent Order Spells

Taoist Warrior Level	Spells
3rd	bane, longstrider
5th	invisibility, pass without trace
9th	gaseous form, haste
13th	greater invisibility, arcane eye
17th	dream, mislead

Disciple of Darkness

Beginning at 2nd level you may use your bonus action to dash, disengage or hide.

Shade Strike

Beginning at 7th level, when you use your action to make a weapon or unarmed attack, your attacks deal an additional 1d6 psychic damage.

Eyes of Tenebrous

Beginning at 10th level, you gain darkvision out to 60 feet (or an additional 30 if you already have darkvision). Additionally, you can see through magical darkness as if it were dim light.

Shadowstep

Beginning at 15th level, as a bonus action, you can disappear into a puff of black mist and teleport into an unoccupied space within 30 feet of your current position.

Umber Edge

Beginning at 16th level, the additional damage granted by Shade Strike increases to 1d10 psychic damage.

The Word of Ruin

The men and women of this order are the most scarred and broken of warriors; lashing out at any and all who could be blamed for their suffering. They are known for their swift and violent response to trespasses against them. Rather than finding peace, their balance is found in violence and destruction.

Word of Ruin Spells

Taoist Warrior Level	Spells
3rd	inflict wounds, burning hands
5th	branding smite, flaming sphere
9th	vampiric touch, fireball
13th	staggering smite, blight
17th	cloudkill, flame strike

Ruinous Magic

Beginning at 2nd level, when making a spell attack with a taoist cantrip, you may add your Wisdom modifier to the damage of the spell.

Ruinous Strike

Beginning at 7th level, when using your action to make a weapon or unarmed attack, your attacks deal an additional 1d6 thunder damage.

Mantle of Retribution

Beginning at 10th level, when you are struck by an attack, you may use your reaction to make a single weapon or unarmed attack against your attacker. You may move up to 10 feet as part of this reaction.

Furious Attacker

Beginning at 15th level, you land a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.

Hateful Blast

Beginning at 16th level, the additional damage granted by Ruinous Strike increases to 1d10 thunder damage.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Taoist Warrior class, you must meet these prerequisites: 13 Wisdom and 13 Constitution

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Taoist Warrior class, you gain the following proficiencies: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons

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