The Greatest Showman (5e Class)

The Greatest Showman

As the city guard burst into a tavern, the gnome they are seeking sits patiently at the bar paying them no heed. As the soldiers proceed to attempt to capture their prey, the gnome shatters into fractals as a cloaked figure exits the bar in the confusion. A masked figure stands between bandits and their targeted village. Seemingly without cause more masked figures appear out of thin air by their side and charge the bandits. An elven woman cries out in pain watching as an arrow slays her friend. Her friend then seems to rise up as time is reround and the arrows dissipates to mist. Mesmers are masters of mirage. They weave deception magic that seeks to confound, disorient and dumbfound their enemies. With a wave of the hand, they can shatter their own illusions to produce even greater special effects. Mesmers are magical duelists who wield deception as a weapon. Using powerful illusions, clones, and phantasmal magic to confuse and distract their foes, mesmers make sure every fight is balanced in their favor and their opponents can’t believe their eyes.

Creating a Greatest Showman

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Why did you decide to become an adventurer? How did you gain your expertise in magic, were you taught at a school, self-taught, or was the way of the Showman passed down to you from someone? Is there a reason why you choose the way of the Showman? Are you not confident in yourself, did you have experience with illusion magic growing up, or do you just want to trick and deceive others?

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

Class Features

As a Greatest Showman you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

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

Proficiencies

Armor: None
Weapons: Simple weapons, longsword, rapier, shortsword
Tools: Artisan's tools and Thieves tools
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
Skills: Arcana. Choose 3 from Deception, Investigation, Insight, Perception, Persuasion, or History

Equipment

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

• (a) quarterstaff or (b) longsword
• (a) shortsword or (b) two daggers
• (a) Everburning torch or (b) 52 Card Deck

Table: The Greatest Showman

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Illusion	Features	Cantrips Known	Spells known	—Spell Slots per Spell Level—
						1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
1st	+2	1	Illusions, Soul Mask	2	2	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+2	1	Showman Archetype	2	3	2	—	—	—	—
3rd	+2	1	Gambit Fighting Style	2	4	3	—	—	—	—
4th	+2	1	Ability Score Improvement	3	5	3	—	—	—	—
5th	+3	1	Smoke and Mirrors	3	6	4	2	—	—	—
6th	+3	2	Archetype feature, Soul Mask enhancement	3	7	4	2	—	—	—
7th	+3	2	Friendly Phasing	3	8	4	3	—	—	—
8th	+3	2	Ability Score Improvement, Illusion increase	3	9	4	3	—	—	—
9th	+4	2	Mist and Reflection	3	10	4	3	2	—	—
10th	+4	2	Archetype feature	4	11	4	3	2	—	—
11th	+4	2	Center Stage	4	12	4	3	3	—	—
12th	+4	2	Ability Score Improvement	4	12	4	3	3	—	—
13th	+5	2	Phase Retreat	4	13	4	3	3	1	—
14th	+5	2	Archetype feature, Soul Mask enhancement	4	13	4	3	3	1	—
15th	+5	3	Inspiration, Illusion increase	4	14	4	3	3	2	—
16th	+5	3	Ability Score Improvement	4	14	4	3	3	2	—
17th	+6	3	Complete Focus	4	15	4	3	3	3	1
18th	+6	3	Changing Appearance	4	15	4	3	3	3	1
19th	+6	3	Ability Score Improvement	4	15	4	3	3	3	2
20th	+6	3	All for One, One for All	4	15	4	3	3	3	2

Illusions

Starting at 1st level, you can make an illusionary copy of yourself as an bonus action. You must maintain concentration as if it were a spell.

• Illusions can spawn to a distance of 5 feet times half of your Showman level, but they cannot travel farther than 90 feet from you without making a concentration saving throw for every additional time you have them move from that point on. This lasts for 3 rounds, or when they drop to zero hit points. Their existence can be extended if you spend a bonus action in doing so.
• Your illusion's Armor Class is equal to your AC during the time you summoned them; they will always have 1 hit point.
• Illusions have their own set of actions. They use the same attack roll, but roll damage individually. However, any bonuses given to you does not apply to them, and magical items turn into its mundane counterpart instead (e.g. legendary sword becomes a normal sword, a healing potion becomes an empty flask, a grimoire becomes an unwritten book). If they use weapons with ammunition, the ammo disappears after use.
• They are able to pass through each other, but not through walls and other solid objects.
• They are considered as magical, but they cannot cast spells. They can be dispelled by a dispel magic spell so long as the caster targets you instead of your illusions. The DC is your Spell Save DC.
• When outside of combat, your illusions can attempt to support a creature from doing skill checks under Strength, Dexterity, or Charisma. The target creature gets an advantage to their roll regardless of how many illusions are participating. Illusions does not grant advantages with skill checks under Constitution, Wisdom, and Intelligence.
• While an illusion is within 5 feet of you or another ally, if the opponent makes an attack against them, you can expend a reaction to invoke disadvantage on the attack, if the attack misses the ally then your illusion suffers the attack instead.
• Allies cannot heal the illusions nor give buffs to increase their maximum Hit Points by any means, but they can grant them Temporary Hit Points and other bonuses instead. However, they can only benefit half (rounded down, minimum of 1) from its effects.

The number of illusions that can be created at a time starts at 1, is then increased to 3 at 8th level, and 5 at 15th level. More than 1 illusion can be summoned with the same action.
A creature can not tell the difference between you and your illusions unless it passes an Intelligence saving throw against your Spell save DC.
Alternative: The creature must roll a Wisdom saving throw against your Spell save DC. On a fail, assign a number on yourself and your illusions, then roll a dice of that many numbers. As long as the dice doesn't land on your assigned number, other creatures will continue to target the illusions.

Spellcasting

See chapter 10 for the general rules of spellcasting.

Showman's Arcane Knowledge

Balancing their martial training, the Showman learns spells from the wizard spell list, but is limited to casting spells in the Enchantment, Illusion, and Transmutation spell schools, unless stated elsewhere.

Cantrips

At 1st level, you know two cantrips of your choice from the wizard spell list. You learn additional wizard cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Showman table.

Spell Slots

The Showman table shows how many spell slots you have per level. To cast one of these Showman 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.

Spellcasting Ability

Charisma is the spellcasting ability modifier for your spells, since the power of your spells relies on your mental ability. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability modifier. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the Spell Saving DC and Spell attack bonus of your abilities.

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

Spell attack modifier= your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Soul Mask

Starting at 1st level, you gain a soul mask that functions as a magical headpiece which cannot be attuned to anyone other than yourself. Upon creating your mask, you determine the appearance of your mask when unequipped. While wearing the mask, it appears to blur with your face, faintly enhancing or adding features to your appearance.

Harlequin's smile
At 1st level, you can select a Charisma based skill and add proficiency in that skill, or expertise if you are already proficient in it.

Phantasm of sorrow
Upon reaching 6th level, you can elect to either gain proficiency (or expertise if relevant) in another Charisma based skill, or gain advantage on roll checks of a previously chosen skill.
Alternative: You can choose to prolong your illusions from 12 seconds (2 turns) to 18 seconds (3 turns) instead.

Fanged dread
Upon reaching 14th level, you can elect to either gain proficiency (or expertise if relevant) in another Charisma based skill, or gain advantage on roll checks of a previously chosen skill.
Alternative: You can choose to gain advantage in your Dexterity saving throw instead.

All mask sources at
https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Mesmer

Showman Archetype

At 2nd level, you must choose an archetype between Torchbearer and Warp Magician. You gain features at 2nd, 6th, 10th, and 14th levels.

Gambit Fighting Style

At 3rd level, 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

-Gambling I'm In! Starting when you select this Act at 3rd level, when gambling you may use this feature to turn the odds in your favor. Ex. If playing a card game you can make a sleight of hand skill check with a DC 15 to provide yourself a winning hand. If playing in a coin toss you can cause the coin to fall to your side. (DM Discretion)

-Throwing Cards Also at 3rd Level you also gain the ability to throw cards as ranged weapons, which you are proficient with. Throwing Cards have a range of 30/60 and deal 1d6 Piercing Damage and use your Dex mod for an attack modifier. These card's now count as a weapon you're proficient in.

Ability Score Increase

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of you 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.

Smoke & Mirrors

Starting at 5th level, You gain the effects of the Shadow Touched feature. Your exposure to the Shadowfell's magic has changed you, granting you the following benefits:

Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20. You learn the Invisibility spell and one 1st-level spell of your choice. The 1st-level spell must be from the Illusion or Necromancy school of magic. You can cast each of these spells without expending a spell slot. Once you cast either of these spells in this way, you can't cast that spell in this way again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast these spells using spell slots you have of the appropriate level. The spells' spellcasting ability is the ability increased by this feat.

Tactical Approach

You improve the effectiveness of your illusions. Starting at 5th level, your illusions have the following abilities that can only be used once until a short rest.

Shatter
You can make your active illusions explode with psychic energy. As an action or reaction, creatures take 1d4 + Charisma mod psychic damage from each illusion adjacent to them. The damage increases to 3d4 at 10th level, 4d4 at 15th level, and 5d4 at 20th level. After this ability is cast, the illusions count as being reduced to zero hit points and disappear.

Group Hug
As an action, adjacent illusions from you can group together to form a defensive stance, increasing your AC for the next incoming attack roll, as seen on the chart below. By doing so, the attacking creature will automatically pass the check of discerning the illusions from you. Regardless if you are hit or not, your illusions count as being reduced to zero hit points and disappear on the start of your next turn.

Helping Hands
As an action, you can direct your illusions to hold their own action and assist you or another creature from doing skill checks or saving throws under Strength, Dexterity, or Charisma. Your target creature gains advantage (as stated in Illusions feat), and gains bonus increase depending on the number of participating illusions, as seen on the chart below. While your illusions focus on this task, they cannot do any other actions or bonus actions.

# of participating illusions	bonus increase
1	+1
2	+1
3	+2
4	+2
5	+3

Friendly Phasing

Starting at 7th level, As a bonus action you can trade places with one ally you designate within 60ft of you.

Mist and Reflection

Starting at 9th level, you can blink to one of your illusion's side as long as you can see it. The blink counts as a teleportation, preventing attacks of opportunity against you. This ability can be cast a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier and all casts are restored after a short rest.

Center Stage

Starting at 11th level, as an action you make a performance skill check DC 15, to force a creature you can see to make an opposing WIS saving throw, DC 8 + Performance Skill Modifier. If the creature fails then it becomes stunned by your performance until the end of it's next turn.

Vanish

At 13th level, you gain the ability to vanish, leaving a clone behind. As an action, you may become invisible, leaving a clone behind as you do so. The invisibility lasts 10 minutes and breaks if you take any action other than creating more clones. You may use this ability a number of times equal to your Charisma Modifier(minimum of 1). You regain your use of this ability after a long rest.

Enduring Image

Starting at 15th level, you have practiced to hold your concentration better, even in the hardest of times. As a reaction, you can choose to spend three hit dies to keep one illusion from disappearing unwillingly, maintaining any buffs applied to that illusion. Additionally, you gain +2 bonus in your Constitution saving throws for every three hit dies spent, and lasts for 1 hour.

Complete Focus

Starting at 17th level, you gain an extra attack as long as all five of your illusions are targeting the same creature as you are.

Changing Appearance

Starting at 18th level, a greatest showman may always have the spell disguise self on themselves. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

All for One, One for All

Starting at 20th level, your connection to your illusions has been perfected. Once per round, whenever you would take damage, you can make a reaction to swap places with one of your illusions causing them to take the damage instead. You can only do this in a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier. If no illusions are available, then this feat has no effect.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/User:The_Mesmer

Showman Archetypes

Torchbearer

Trained in deceiving the senses of others, the torchbearer is able to use the lights of a flame to create a magic weapon that can both burn their foes physically and mentally.

Torch Weapon

Starting at 2nd level, while wielding a torch a showman can cast an illusion on it as a bonus action once per turn. This illusion makes the torch turn into any one handed weapon the mesmer is proficient in. Any torch weapon is counted as a magic weapon. The bonus to attack and damage rolls is equal to half your proficiency bonus, rounded down. An illusion created while the mesmer is wielding the torch weapon copies the enchantment.

Manifest in the Flame

Starting at 6th level, while wielding a torch a showman can; once per turn, produce a burst of flame up to the size of a campfire within 10 feet or mold a campfire sized size of flame within line of sight into any shape until the showman stops concentrating on the flame. Nothing you create can deal damage, serve as a weapon or a tool, or hinder another creature's actions.(GM's discretion)

Burning Psyche

Starting at 10th level, while wielding a torch all sources of a showman's psychic damage deal an additional 1d4 fire damage. In addition, attacks with the torch weapon now deal an extra 2d6 fire damage.

The Prestige

Starting at 14th level, while wielding a torch a showman can use an action to gain invisibility and invulnerability for one round. If the showman does not end their turn in an open square, the effect is dispelled. At the start of the showman's next turn all foes adjacent to the showman take 3d8 fire damage. This ability can be cast a number of times equal to your Spell Ability modifier and all casts are restored after a long rest. Illusions can only use this ability if they are wielding the torch weapon. If a illusion uses the ability it counts toward the cast limit.

Warp Magician

Having mastered the art of disappearing on stage & learned how to utilize these techniques in the battlefield. Starting at 2nd level, simple teleportation spells become second nature to you. Teleporter spells that require 1 action to cast, teleport you, are instantaneous, and do not require material components or concentration may be cast as a bonus action. For example, Minor Step, Thunder Step, Dimension Door, Arcane Gate, and Teleport can now be cast with either 1 action or 1 bonus action.

As normal, after casting any spell (even with a bonus action), you can't cast another spell during the same turn, except for a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action.

You may also ritual cast for 8hours designate a single area of 10ft diameter. As a teleportation circle that you and one person you designate may teleport to at the cost of one 1st level spell slot. To designate a new area you must ritual cast this once again.

Warp Strike

When you choose this combat style at 2nd level, you can inflict extra damage to your opponent with your teleportation abilities. When you cast a teleportation spell to teleport next to someone you may make a melee attack as part of that same action, and if you hit you may deal additional 'Warp Strike Die' damage.

You may add your Warp Strike Die bonus from the Extra Warp Strike Damage table to the attack’s damage roll this extra damage type is force damage.

At 3rd level you can utilize your gambit fighting style with this as well, when you hit a creature with a card you may expend a second level spell slot to deal the same damage and teleport to them.

Extra Warp Strike Damage

Teleporter Level	Warp Strike Die
Level 3	1d6
Level 4	1d6
Level 5	1d6
Level 6	2d6
Level 7	2d6
Level 8	2d6
Level 9	3d6
Level 10	3d6
Level 11	5d6
Level 12	5d6
Level 13	5d6
Level 14	6d6
Level 15	6d6
Level 16	6d6
Level 17	6d6
Level 18	8d6
Level 19	8d6
Level 20	8d6

Blurred Battle

At 6th level, your armor class becomes (10 + Charisma modifier to your AC, Dexterity score), while wearing no armor.

Also, when you take the dodge action, you may expend one 1st level spell slot to add +1 to your AC. This may be done up to two times after you finish a long rest.

Warp Out

By level 10, you gain the ability to warp away after an attack. After you hit another creature with a Warp Strike, then as part of the attack action, you can teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space that you can see.

Warp Sigils

Starting at 14th level, you may designate surfaces or creatures up to your Charisma modifier that you can see as warp points, & may travel to one of these points as a bonus action. These sigils disappear after 1 minute. You may not use this feature again till you perform a short rest.

Teleportation Spell List

You have access to the spells on this teleporter spell list. Your subclass may grant you additional spells.

Cantrips

minor step, short warp

1st Level

expeditious retreat, jump, longstrider, Zephyr Strike

2nd Level

misty step

3rd Level

blink, thunder step

4th Level

dimension door, warping step

5th Level

far step, traumatic teleport

6th Level

arcane gate, misty gate

7th Level

demiplane portal, etherealness, plane shift, teleport

8th Level

air removal, demiplane, maze

9th Level

gate, mass traumatic teleport

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into The Greatest Showman class, you must meet these prerequisites: 13 Dexterity and 13 Charisma.

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Mesmer class, you gain the following proficiencies: light armor, longsword, and rapier.

5.00

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