User:Yanied/Original Grim Reaper

Grim Reaper

The limp body of a child floats along the reeds of a marsh. A dark hooded figure in flowing black robes descends on the tiny body and reveals a wicked curved scythe. With a single slice, the body yields a small soul. The hooded figure can be heard inhaling deeply, and the soul is sucked beneath the hood, into darkness. As silent as it came, the Reaper is gone.

On a local village lit ablaze, a small unit of several hooded reapers, armed with scythes descend to collect their bounty...

Death's Representative

People think it's so simple. Just one Death right? Wrong. That'd be your boss. You are one among many who are either blessed or cursed to become a Grim Reaper and collect the souls of those who die in turn. Death selected you to be one to bear the scythe in his name, to go forth and seek ripe souls for the taking.

Creating a Grim Reaper

The Wings of a Reaper show, unrobed.

When you were granted this power, what was the reason? How do you plan to wield this power? How has this power changed your life? What have you lost as a result but gained with power? Do you relish swinging with savage abandon, or are you simply doing your job? Do you loathe yourself for your job, or do you do so with honor and a just way?

Quick Build

You can make a Grim Reaper quickly by following these suggestions. First, Strength should be your highest ability score, followed by Wisdom. Second, for background, go for something that boosts either your game-playing capabilities or an artisanal job in which you can make a living. Third, choose Insight and Perception for skills and the Explorer's Pack for equipment.

Class Features

As a Grim Reaper you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

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

Proficiencies

Armor: none
Weapons: Scythes, simple ranged weapons
Tools: A game set of your choice AND one of your choice from Artisan's tools or Musical instruments
Saving Throws: Strength and Wisdom
Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Insight, Perception, Religion, Intimidation, and Athletics

Equipment

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

• Scythe
• Fine clothes (dark-colored)
• Light Crossbow and 20 bolts
• (a) Dungeoneer's Pack or (b) Explorer's Pack
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 2d4x10 gp in funds.

Table: The Grim Reaper

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Cantrips Known	Spells Known	—Spell Slots per Spell Level—
					1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
1st	+2	Grim Feast, Grim Reaver, Death's Raiment, Ageless Death	0	0	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+2	Spellcasting, Judgement	2	2	2	—	—	—	—
3rd	+2	Language of the Dead, Necrotic Healing	3	3	3	—	—	—	—
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	3	4	3	—	—	—	—
5th	+3	Life Detection, Death's Influence,	4	5	4	2	—	—	—
6th	+3	On a Pale Horse	4	6	4	2	—	—	—
7th	+3	Extra Attack	5	7	4	3	—	—	—
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	5	8	4	3	—	—	—
9th	+4	Protection by Thanatos	5	9	4	3	2	—	—
10th	+4	Eyes of the Rich One	6	10	4	3	2	—	—
11th	+4	Scarce Presence	6	11	4	3	3	—	—
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	7	12	4	3	3	—	—
13th	+5	Wings of a Reaper	7	13	4	3	3	1	—
14th	+5	Death's Door	8	13	4	3	3	1	—
15th	+5	Eternity	8	14	4	3	3	2	—
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	8	14	4	3	3	2	—
17th	+6	Funeral Bells	9	15	4	3	3	3	1
18th	+6	Stench of Death	9	15	4	3	3	3	1
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	10	16	4	3	3	3	2
20th	+6	Wither	10	16	4	3	3	3	2

Design Note: This class does not have archetypes, and was not created with archetypes in mind.

Grim Feast

Death comes to all, inevitably, no creature is truly immune to death. Starting from 1st level, you can consume souls of the recently departed for your benefit. Types of creatures that can be eaten are as per DM's discretion. The only beings that cannot be devoured under any circumstances are Undead beings of any kind, and Constructs; they are filled with an essence that mocks life and are not "truly alive." You can use a bonus action to eat the life essences of the recently deceased. The creature must have died in the past hour for the essence to be consumed, and the Soul Reaper must be within 10 feet of the creature whose soul is to be consumed. When consumed, the Grim Reaper gains hitpoints equal to the CR of the soul consumed (minimum of 1). If at maximum hitpoints the character receives temporary hitpoints equal to the creature's CR. You can use this ability equal to your Wisdom Modifier, regaining use after you finish a long rest. Since you eat the life essence, it makes the soul consumed unable to be revived in any way other than the Wish spell.

Grim Reaver

Beginning at 1st Level, you are able to amplify the weapon you are using. The weapon inflicts Xd10 of Bonus necrotic damage where X equals one-quarter your Reaper level (rounded down minimum of 1). A Reaper must spend one hour to bond in ritual to the weapon in order to empower it. A Reaper may only have one such weapon at a time. If the Reaper bonds with another weapon, then the original bond is lost. This weapon counts as magical for overcoming immunity/resistance. It can be dropped or set down, but cannot be lost or permanently destroyed for any reason. Should it go more than 30 feet from your person, it will appear back in your hands unless taken to another plane. If it manages to be destroyed, it will reappear in your hands after a Short Rest. Your weapon gains the additional following properties at the following later levels:

• Starting at 5th Level: Reaver gains +1 to attack and damage rolls. This has no effect if the weapon bound is already of +1 or greater.
• Starting at 9th Level: Reaver now inflicts one additional die of weapon damage on a critical hit.
• Starting at 11th Level: Reaver now adds +2 instead of +1 to attack and damage rolls. This has no effect if the weapon bound is +2 or higher.
• Starting at 13th Level: Reaver now inflicts two additional die of weapon damage on a critical hit.
• Starting at 15th Level: Reaver now has a critical range of 19-20.
• Starting at 17th Level: Reaver now adds +3 instead of +2 to attack and damage rolls. This has no effect if the weapon bound is +3.

Death's Raiment

Your clothes may have been considered many things: emo, unfashionable, and uncomfortable under strong heat. But that all stops now. Beginning at 1st level, an ethereal robe of Death has been bestowed upon you. It materializes as a regular black frayed cloak draped around your person with flowing sleeves and coattails. Your AC becomes equal to [10 + Constitution modifier + Wisdom modifier]. It can be taken off, but cannot be lost or permanently destroyed for any reason. Should it go more than 30 feet from your person, it will appear back around your shoulders; if it manages to be destroyed, it will reappear around your shoulders after a Short Rest. These qualities are permanent. Your garb gains the additional following properties at the following later levels:

• Beginning at 3rd Level: Your Cloak now has a hood. It now grants Superior Darkvision out to 120 ft. You have advantage on all intimidation rolls against any creature that can see your face.
• Beginning at 6th Level: The cloak now seems more well-kept. It now grants proficiency in Stealth checks.
• Beginning at 7th Level: Your cloak has now become imbued with shielding magic. Once per Short Rest, you may cast the Shield spell as a reaction.
• Beginning at 10th Level: From now on whenever Death’s Cloak is worn, you are able to comfortably tolerate Extreme Cold and Extreme Heat environments as per the DMG. This confers complete protection in these environments resulting in no Constitution save for these environments. You now have disadvantage on savings throws against spells that inflict radiant damage.
• Beginning at 15th Level: The cloak now seems almost-new. Your cloak now provides resistance to the following types of damage: slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning.
• Beginning at 17th level: The hood now grants you truesight out to 30 ft.
• Beginning at 20th Level: Regardless of what you are wearing, you will always appear to be wearing a black, hooded, simple robe that looks rather unusually pristine. The cloak now provides resistance to one type of magical damage of your choice.

Ageless Death

Death will call you home when he is ready to and not before. After being imbued with Death’s power at 1st level you become ageless. You no longer can be aged by natural, magical or any other means. You also no longer need food or water to survive.

Spellcasting

Beginning at 2nd level, Death sees it fit to equip you with the power to utilize magic in your endeavors.

Spellcasting Ability

Starting at 2nd Level, you know a number of cantrips equal to the Cantrips known on the table above, as well as spells equal to the Spells Known list on the same table. These and further spells are chosen from the Grim Reaper Spell List. At each level you may change out spells from the list to spells known.

Wisdom is your Spellcasting Ability for casting Soul Reaper spells.

Spell Attack Modifier: Your Proficiency Bonus + Your Wisdom Modifier

Spell Save DC: 8 + Your Proficiency Bonus + Your Wisdom Modifier

Judgement

Beginning at 2nd level your connection to life and death allows you to heal or injure living and dead creatures. You gain Cure Wounds or Inflict Wounds as a bonus spell which you may cast without using a spell slot. You can cast these spells each a total amount of times equal to your Wisdom Modifier, regaining all uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Language of the Dead

The dead speak a tongue understood by all. At 3rd level, you learn a language of your choice.

Necrotic Healing

Starting at the 3rd level, you've become used to death. You are now immune to necrotic damage.

• Starting at 5th Level: Whenever you successfully deal necrotic damage to a creature, you may gain half the amount of damage as temporary hitpoints.
• Starting at 8th Level: If you are successfully hit by any attack dealing necrotic damage, you not only take no damage but may regain half of the damage as temporary hitpoints.
• Starting at 12th Level: Any necrotic attack that successfully hits you instead heals you by the amount of damage it would have dealt fully.
• Starting at 17th Level: By expending your reaction, if any ally within 30 feet of you is targeted with any attack or spell that deals necrotic damage, you can choose to direct the flow of the attack's energies at yourself instead. You may also utilize the energy and direct it at another target within 30 feet of you.

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.

Life Detection

Upon reaching 5th level, Death grants you the ability to locate life. Grim Reapers may use their inner sight to find a creature on the same plane of existence. This functions the same as the 4th level spell locate creature except the range is the same plane of existence and there is no limitation for it.

Death's Influence

After reaching the 5th level, when you cast a spell that deals damage to a creature, you can choose to change its damage type to deal necrotic damage.

• Starting at 15th Level:You can now use this influence to change the damage type of a spell used against you to necrotic damage. This feature can only be used a number of times equal to you Wisdom Modifier per short or long rest.

On a Pale Horse

Beginning at 6th level the Grim Reaper truly becomes a Horseman of the Apocalypse. After a one hour ritual, a Pale Horse is summoned that the Reaper may use as a mount.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 7th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack Action on your turn.

Protection by Thanatos

Death is undeterred by conditions of the flesh. Beginning at 9th level, you gain advantage on saving throws that attempt to give you the poisoned, petrified, and blinded conditions.

Eyes of The Rich One

Hades isn't called "rich" for nothing. Reapers can find valuables among the bodies they sift through every now and then. Beginning at 10th level, you gain proficiency in the Investigation skill. If you already have proficiency in it, you can double your proficiency bonus.

Scarce Presence

Death moves in and out quickly, doing work unnoticed. Beginning at 11th level, you are now considered to be under the effects of nondetection spell at all times.

Wings of a Reaper

Most people don't know that Reapers can fly. Beginning at 13th level, you gain the ability to summon and dismiss black feathered wings as a bonus action, gaining a flight speed of 30 feet. If you already had flight speed, your flying speed is instead increased by 10 feet when this feature is activated. You cannot use this feature if you are wearing anything clothing or armor other than Death's Raiment.

Death's Door

Death has a grand and spacious house. You, as a servant, can summon the part which you have leased your soul to. Beginning at 14th level, you are able to summon a piece of Death’s domicile for the next twenty-four (24) hours. This domicile mimics the 7th level spell Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion.

Eternity

Death is hard to kill. Beginning at 15th level, when you drop down to 0 hit points, you can instead choose to drop down to 1 hit point. You may use this feature twice, regaining all uses after you finish a long rest

Funeral Bells

Beginning at 17th level, you cannot be surprised and no attack roll has advantage against you while you aren’t incapacitated. Whenever an attack is attempted by a creature, you hear what seems to be a deep-toned church bell.

Stench of Death

This whole Reaper business comes with natural repellant. Beginning at 18th level, you may spend an action to cause creatures of your choice within a 30 foot radius of you to make a Wisdom saving throw with a DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier. The creatures that fail their saving throws are all frightened by you for 1 minute. They may repeat this saving throw at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect on a success. Once you use this feature, you can not use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Wither

You now have the power to greatly cripple the life force of those you deem to die. Beginning at 20th level, you gain Mass Life Fades (5e Spell) as a bonus spell which you may cast without using a spell slot. You can cast the spell twice, regaining all uses when you finish a long rest.

Grim Reaper Spell List

Death gives you only what you need to get the job done, and does not bestow any further. You know all of the spells on the basic Grim Reaper spell list below:

Cantrips

Blade Ward, Chill Touch, Guidance, Light, Mage Hand, Message, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation, Resistance, Unsacred Flame (same as Sacred Flame except necrotic damage), Spare the Dying, Thaumaturgy, True Strike, Spectral Scythe

1st Level

Alarm, Armor of Agathys, Arms of Hadar, Bane, Bless, Command, Compelled Duel, Comprehend Languages, Cure Wounds, Detect Evil and Good, Detect Poison and Disease, Disguise Self, Expeditious Retreat, False Life, Feather Fall, Fog Cloud, Healing Word, Hellish Rebuke, Hex, Inflict Wounds, Necrotic Missile (Same as Magic Missile except necrotic damage), Protection from Evil and Good, Ray of Sickness, Silent Image, Sleep, Unseen Servant

2nd Level

Aid, Alter Self, Blindness/Deafness, Blur, Calm Emotions, Crown of Madness, Darkness, Detect Thoughts, Enhance Ability, Gentle Repose, Hold Person, Invisibility, Lesser Restoration, Levitate, Locate Animals or Plants, Locate Object, Mirror Image, Misty Step, Pass without Trace, Phantasmal Force, Prayer of Healing, Protection from Poison, Ray of Enfeeblement, See Invisibility, Silence, Suggestion, Warding Bond, Zone of Truth, Phoenix strike

3rd Level

Animate Dead, Aura of Vitality, Beacon of Hope, Bestow Curse, Blink, Clairvoyance, Daylight, Fear, Fly, Gaseous Form, Haste, Hunger of Hadar, Magic Circle, Major Image, Mass Healing Word, Nondetection, Protection from Energy, Remove Curse, Revivify, Slow, Speak with Dead, Tongues, Vampiric Touch

4th Level

Aura of Life, Aura of Purity, Banishment, Blight, Compulsion, confusion, Death Ward, Dimension Door, Divination, Freedom of Movement, Greater Invisibility, Guardian of Faith, Phantasmal Killer, Polymorph

5th Level

Antilife Shell, Circle of Power, Cloudkill, Commune, Contact Other Plane, Contagion, Dispel Evil and Good, Dominate Person, Dream, Geas, Greater Restoration, Hallow, Insect Plague, Mass Cure Wounds, Mislead, Passwall, Raise Dead, Reincarnate, seeming, Wall of Force

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Grim Reaper class, you must meet these prerequisites: Strength 13, Wisdom 15

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Grim Reaper class, you gain the following proficiencies: Scythe, one gaming set of your choice, one skill of your choice from the class list