Zealot (5e Class)
Zealot[edit]
Not an uncommon name for various types of particularly motivated persons, the zealot is dedicated to supporting their cause at all costs. Some follow religion, others follow traditions, and still others just have a strong personal belief system. Though the method and cause may be different, the similarities run deep.
Creating a Zealot[edit]
When you create a Zealot, think, alongside with your DM, on what cause you fanatically support, what is your ideology, religion or dogma and how it fits into the broader context of the world. There are any code of conduct or rules you must follow? What are they? Are you part of an organization? What's your position into the hierarchy, and how do you climb that ladder? Or are you alone in your beliefs?
- Quick Build
You can make a Zealot quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution and Dexterity. Second, choose the Sage background. Third, choose the Archetype that you prefer and the highest armor you are proficient with.
Class Features
As a Zealot you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per Zealot level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Zealot level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: None
Weapons: Simple weapons
Tools: any one type of artisan's tools
Saving Throws: Constitution and Charisma
Skills: Choose two from Deception, History, Intimidation, Perception and Religion.
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) leather armor, a shortbow and 20 arrows or (b) any simple weapon
- (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any bladed martial weapon
- (a) a Dungeoneer's pack or (b) an Explorer's pack
| Level | Proficiency Bonus |
Fervor | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | 2 | Fervor, Zealot Archetype |
| 2nd | +2 | 4 | Conversion |
| 3rd | +2 | 6 | Zealot Archetype Feature |
| 4th | +2 | 8 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 5th | +3 | 10 | Extra Attack |
| 6th | +3 | 12 | Lesser Divine Speed |
| 7th | +3 | 14 | Lesser Spirit Weapon |
| 8th | +3 | 16 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 9th | +4 | 18 | Zealot Archetype Feature |
| 10th | +4 | 20 | Blessing of the Faithful |
| 11th | +4 | 22 | Spirit Weapon |
| 12th | +4 | 24 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 13th | +5 | 26 | Zeal |
| 14th | +5 | 28 | Divine Speed |
| 15th | +5 | 30 | Greater Spirit Weapon |
| 16th | +5 | 32 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 17th | +6 | 34 | Greater Divine Speed |
| 18th | +6 | 36 | Greater Zeal |
| 19th | +6 | 38 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 20th | +6 | 40 | Zealot Archetype Feature |
Fervor[edit]
Zealots draw power from their belief, giving them a number of Fervor points equal to double their Zealot level with which to use their abilities. Abilities that spend fervor have the cost noted in their description.
You regain all spent Fervor points when you have completed a long rest. During a short rest, you may choose to regain Fervor or Hit Points for each hit die spent.
Conversion[edit]
Beginning at 2nd level, you may spend a Fervor point before making a(n) Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Persuasion, Religion, or Stealth check. If you are proficient, you gain advantage on the check. If you are not, you may add your proficiency modifier to the total rolled. You may not use Conversion more than once on a single roll.
Ability Score Increase[edit]
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[edit]
Beginning at 5th level, you can Attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on Your Turn.
Divine Speed[edit]
Beginning at 6th level, you gain a +5 bonus to your movement speed. In addition, you do not have disadvantage when making ranged attacks while an enemy is within 5 feet.
At 14th level, you gain advantage on all saving throws against effects that would slow or stop your movement.
Once you reach 17th level, your movement speed bonus is increased to +15 ft.
Spirit Weapon[edit]
Beginning at 7th level, when you make an attack, you may spend a single Fervor point in order to grant a +1 bonus to attack and damage. Once you reach 11th level, this increases to a +2 bonus, and becomes a +3 bonus once you reach 15th level. This attack counts as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance or immunity to non-magical attacks and damage.
Blessing of the Faithful[edit]
Beginning at 10th level, if you begin your turn under the effects of a condition (Spell effects, bleeding, slow, etc), and your current hp is above 0, you may spend a single point of Fervor to roll a save against it. On a success, the condition ends. If there is normally no save DC to end the condition, the DC is equal to 8 + your Proficiency modifier + your relevant ability modifier. Does not consume an action, however you may only remove one effect.
Zeal[edit]
Beginning at 13th level, when you score a critical hit, you regain Fervor points equal to your Charisma modifier.
Once you reach 18th level, you also regain all spent hit dice after completing a long rest.
Disciple[edit]
Disciples are true believers and followers, they dedicate themselves to their cause and shut out all else.
- Shield of Faith
When you choose this Archetype at 1st level, you gain proficiency in Insight and may add your Charisma modifier to your armor class as long as you are not wearing armor (AC equal to 10 + Dexterity modifier + Charisma modifier).
- Bolt of Will
Beginning at 1st level, when you attack with a ranged weapon you are proficient with, you may also spend a single point of fervor in order to ignore the ammunition, loading, misfire and reload properties. This use of fervor also allows you to use your Charisma in place of Dexterity for the attack and deal force damage instead of the weapon's normal damage type.
While you are unarmed, you may make a ranged attack up to 30ft away using your charisma modifier instead of dexterity. On a hit, you deal force damage to the target equal to 1d4 plus your charisma modifier. The damage die for this attack increases by one size at 5th (1d6), 11th (1d8), and 17th level (1d10). This attack does not require the use of fervor.
- Empathic Healing
Beginning at 3rd level, you may use your action to touch another creature within reach, spending a number of hit dice less than or equal to your Constitution modifier. The creature regains a number of hit points equal to twice the total rolled, up to their hit point maximum.
Instead of healing, you may spend a hit die to remove a single condition from the target, gaining that condition yourself. The condition's duration is halved. If there is a saving throw to end the condition, you have advantage on the saving throw. If the condition is permanent, you may attempt a saving throw to end it immediately. If you fail a roll to end an effect, you may always try again once you have completed a long rest.
- Purify
Using your action, you touch a creature, draining life from them and granting it to another.
Beginning at 9th level, you may use an action and spend a number of Fervor points equal to your Charisma modifier to make a melee attack roll against an opponent within range. On a hit, they must spend and roll a number of hit dice equal to your Charisma modifier, losing life equal to the total rolled. You may grant another creature within 30ft that same amount of hit points as long as you can see them. You may not use this ability again until you have completed a short or long rest.
- Self Sacrifice
Once you reach 20th level, you may willingly reduce your hit points to zero as an action. In doing so, you may choose a living creature within 30ft. The chosen creature regains all of it's hit points. Alternatively, you can choose a target that has died within 24 hours, in which case it is instead returned to life with half it's maximum hit points. As long you are not hit once you use this ability, you are considered stable, prone, and unconscious. You must complete a long rest before using this ability again.
Templar[edit]
Templars are the sword of faith. They dedicate themselves to furthering their cause and will fight for it at all times.
- Templar Training
After choosing this Archetype at 1st level, you also gain proficiency in Stealth, light armor, medium armor, and all bladed martial weapons.
As a bonus action, you may take the hide action as long as you are partially obscured, in dim or darker lighting, or invisible.
- Blade of Will
Beginning at 1st level, as a bonus action, you may spend a Fervor point to create any bladed melee weapon with which you are proficient. This weapon appears in your hand and lasts as long as you wish, provided it is within reach. If thrown, the weapon will disappear when it comes to a stop. Attacks with this Weapon use your Charisma modifier instead of your Strength or Dexterity.
- Channel Self
Beginning at 3rd level, as part of an attack you may spend an equal number of Fervor points and hit dice that is less than or equal to your Constitution modifier. Add the Fervor spent to your attack roll. On a hit, add the hit dice to your damage roll. If you miss, the Hit Dice are still spent.
- Spirit Cloak
Beginning at 9th level, you may spend a point of fervor and use a bonus action to step into the Ethereal Plane as with the spell Etherealness, but with the following changes: You must spend a one point of fervor each round to remain in the Border Ethereal. If you cannot or choose not to spend the required fervor at the beginning of your turn, you return to the plane you came from in the space you now occupy. While on the Ethereal Plane, and while you are wielding a weapon summoned by Blade of Will, you can spend one point of Fervor to make a single attack against any target you can see within range.
- Sacrificial Strike
Once you reach 20th level, you may willingly reduce your hit points to zero as an action and you may also take any number of failed death saving throws (up to three). Choose a creature within 30 feet. They must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or lose hit points equal to your hit point maximum. For each failed death saving throw you took, roll your maximum hit dice. The target loses life equal to the total rolled.
On a successful save, the target takes half damage. A creature cannot reduce the loss of hit points from your failed death saving throws, even if they reduce the initial hit point loss.
You may not use this ability again until you have completed a long rest.
Cultist[edit]
Extremists and fanatics, cultists are willing to sacrifice themselves for their cause, though they will likely sacrifice others first.
- Devotion
Once you choose this Archetype at 1st level, you gain proficiency in Persuasion and light armor.
- Disembowel
Beginning at 1st level, you know how to strike viciously and exploit a foe's distraction. Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d4 damage to one creature you hit with an Attack if you have advantage on the Attack roll. The Attack must use a Finesse or a ranged weapon.
You don't need advantage on the Attack roll if the target is flanked and you don't have disadvantage on the Attack roll.
The amount of the extra damage increases by 1d4 at each odd level (2d4 at 3rd level, 3d4 at 5th, etc).
If you hit a creature that is willing, incapacitated, or otherwise restrained with Disembowel, you may automatically score a critical hit. If you use this ability on one of your followers, it dies with no need to roll damage.
If a creature dies from Disembowel, you may use the creature's blood to perform a blood rite as a bonus action. A number of creatures equal to or less than your charisma modifier within 30ft are blessed or cursed for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier. Blessed creatures make all rolls with advantage while cursed creatures roll with disadvantage. You may not bless and curse using the same rite.
Once you perform a blood rite, you must complete a short or long rest before you can perform another, though you may still get the additional damage dice from Disembowel.
- Fanatic Congregation
Beginning at 3rd level, you may have a number of followers equal to half your proficiency bonus. To attract one, you must succeed on a Persuasion check (DC = 8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus). Once you try to attract a follower, (and if you do not have your maximum number of followers) you may try to attract another after finishing a long rest. Followers that are reduced to 0 Hit Points are dead, they do not make death saving throws but can be returned to life as you would a player (at DM discretion).
Followers are always half your level (minimum level 1) but share your proficiency bonus. Each of their ability scores begins at 10, though you may start a single score at 8 in order to start with another at 12. Each follower under your command gives you 1 flex action which can be used during combat. At any point during the round, you may declare that you want to change a flex action into another type of action. A flex action can become: One Movement, One Action, One Bonus Action, or One Reaction. Each creature you control (including your character) may not take more than one movement each round, and may not take the same action or bonus action more than once each round.
All followers share an initiative position with you. Followers consume your actions; they do not have actions of their own. Outside of combat, you may command followers to attempt tasks or have them assist you with a task if they are proficient in the appropriate skill. Each time a follower gains an Ability Score Increase, you may add 2 to one ability score or 1 to two of their ability Scores. As normal, you may not increase any score above 20. A single adept may only choose cantrips from the spell list of one class.
Followers come in three flavors and progress as the following tables show:
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- Surrogate Empathy
Beginning at 9th level, you may spend a number of hit dice equal to or less than your charisma modifier from a single follower within 30ft. Roll the hit dice. Your follower takes damage equal to the total rolled. Choose a creature that you can see within 60 feet of your follower to make a wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature loses a number of hit points equal to the total rolled plus your charisma modifier, or half as much if they succeed.
- Ritual Suicide
At 20th level, you may use an action to reduce yourself and each of your followers within 100ft to 0 hit points. All other creatures within 100ft roll a Constitution save vs your Charisma or lose life equal to the total lost by you and your followers. On a successful save, a creature takes half damage. You may designate a number of creatures other than you or your followers to be unaffected, up to your Charisma modifier. When you use this ability, you get a number of death saving throw failures equal to 4- the number of long rests you have completed since you last uses this ability. If you have never used this feature before, you instead take no failures.
Multiclassing[edit]
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Zealot class, you must meet these prerequisites: Charisma 13.
Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Zealot class, you gain the following proficiencies: none
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- Built for use with the Voidhaven campaign setting.