In Defense of the Orcish Way - An Essay in Excellence

 

In Defense of the Orcish Way

For centuries, the chronicle of history has been written by those who prefer silk to mail and ink to blood. In the libraries of the "civilized" world, Orcs are often reduced to a footnote of mindless aggression - a green tide of chaos meant only to be overcome by the shining knight or the clever wizard.

But to view the Orcish identity as a "problem" to be solved is to fundamentally misunderstand one of the most honest, disciplined, and efficient cultures to ever grace the battlefield. It is time we stop apologizing for Orcish militarism and start recognizing it for what it is: a glorious, high-functioning meritocracy.

1. The Mastery of the Martial

To an Orc, war is not a lapse in judgment or a failure of diplomacy; it is the highest form of professional expression. While humans spend decades debating the nuances of property law, an Orc spends those decades mastering the physics of a strike and the logistics of a legion.

Discipline as Art: There is a profound beauty in a perfectly executed phalanx. Orcs do not just "fight"; they orchestrate violence with the precision of a master composer.
Specialization: Orcs are the world’s premier specialists. They have refined the art of the siege and the grit of the vanguard into a cultural identity that values results over rhetoric.

2. A Pure Meritocracy

In the courts of Men and Elves, power is often a matter of who your father was or which ancient star aligned at your birth. Orcish society, rooted in its militaristic nature, rejects these fripperies.

"The blade does not care for your lineage, and the shield does not ask for your title."

In an Orcish war-band, you lead because you are the strongest, the smartest, and the most capable of keeping your people alive. It is perhaps the most honest form of social mobility in existence. You are what you do - and Orcs are very, very good at what they do.

3. The Honesty of Steel

There is a certain moral exhaustion that comes with "civilized" diplomacy - the hidden daggers behind smiles, the broken treaties, and the gold-plated lies. Orcs offer a refreshing alternative: Total Transparency.

When an Orcish host arrives, you know exactly where you stand. There is a rugged integrity in a culture that places its values on its sleeve (or its armor). Their pride isn't rooted in some ethereal "destiny," but in the tangible reality of their strength and the unbreakable bonds of the combat unit.

4. Why We Fear the Excellence

The discomfort other races feel toward Orcs often stems from a simple, nagging realization: Orcs are unapologetic. They do not seek to be "tamed" or "refined" into lesser versions of humans. They embrace the harshness of the world and meet it with sharpened steel. To defend Orcish identity is to defend the idea that a people can be defined by their prowess, their unity, and their refusal to bow to the "polite" standards of those who fear their strength.

The Verdict

The Orc is not a monster to be slain, but a titan of industry - where the industry is sovereignty and the machinery is the legion. They are a proud, glorious people who have turned the necessity of survival into the pinnacle of cultural achievement.

They aren't just good at war. They are a masterclass in being exactly who they are.

Great Podcast, By Crom!

Link Here!!!

The Scholar's Discipline

 

The Scholar's Discipline (The War of Squares)

Not all swordplay is born of brute strength or savage fury. The masters of The Scholar's Discipline view the battlefield as a great chessboard, where every movement, every thrust, and every step is a calculated decision. They reject the chaotic clash of the common soldier, instead practicing a form of fencing passed down from secluded monasteries and royal academies.

This style emphasizes precision over power, and positional advantage over brute force. Practitioners learn to anticipate the enemy's next move, forcing them into disadvantageous positions, using their weapons not just to inflict damage, but to disarm, trip, and maneuver. A student of this Discipline seeks the Checkmate—a swift, unavoidable end to the conflict—rather than a grinding War of Attrition.

Only those with exceptional intellect and self-control are capable of mastering the art of the The War of Squares.

Here are some OSR-style sword maneuvers inspired by the chess pieces, focusing on simplicity and narrative effects.

These can be used as Called Shots or Combat Maneuvers that a character can attempt instead of a normal attack, perhaps with a slight penalty to the attack roll (e.g., -2 to hit, or only usable on a successful hit).

Sword Maneuvers: The Chess Set

1. The Pawn's Advance (The Push)

• Description: A focused forward thrust or shield push designed to gain ground and break the enemy's formation.

• Effect: On a successful hit (or maneuver check), the target takes normal damage, and the attacker may push the target one space directly away. The attacker can then move into the space the target just left.

• Narrative: Used to break through a line, force an enemy to a disadvantageous position, or clear a path for an ally.

2. The Knight's Gambit (The Flank)

• Description: A quick, angular cut combined with a step to bypass the immediate guard and threaten a more exposed position.

• Effect: On a successful maneuver check, the attacker deals damage as normal and gains Advantage (or a +2 bonus to hit, depending on your system) on their next attack against the same target, provided they move to a different adjacent square first.

• Narrative: A feint and hop that leaves the enemy slightly wrong-footed, creating an opening for a follow-up strike.

3. The Bishop's Sweep (The Disarm/Trip)

• Description: A sweeping, diagonal cut that avoids the main weapon line, aimed at the enemy's extremities or legs.

• Effect: On a successful hit, the attacker may forgo normal damage to force the target to make a Saving Throw vs. Paralysis (or equivalent, like an unmodified Dexterity check).

  • Failure: The target is Disarmed (dropping one held item) or Tripped (falls prone), attacker's choice.

  • Success: The target resists the maneuver but is momentarily off-balance, suffering a −1 penalty to AC until their next turn.

• Narrative: A tricky, unexpected move designed to disrupt the enemy's footing or remove their weapon from the fight.

4. The Rook's Line (The Momentum Strike)

• Description: A straight, powerful movement—a charge or a continuous press—that aims to deliver a heavy, unwavering blow.

• Effect: The attacker declares this maneuver at the start of their movement. They must move in a straight line toward the target. If the attack hits, it deals Maximum Damage for the weapon (roll the damage die, but treat the result as max). This maneuver cannot be performed if the attacker moved less than half their maximum movement speed.

• Narrative: A focused, unstoppable attack, leveraging momentum for maximum impact.

5. The Queen's Presence (The Master Strike)

• Description: A fluid, devastating maneuver combining multiple offensive and defensive movements to strike decisively.

• Effect: The attacker takes a −4 penalty to their attack roll. If the attack hits, the maneuver is a Critical Hit (typically double damage dice or maximum damage + roll damage, depending on your system's critical rules), AND the target suffers a negative status effect of the GM's choice (e.g., stunned for 1 round, −4 to next attack roll, or disarmed). This maneuver is only usable once per encounter.

• Narrative: The ultimate expression of mastery, a complicated sequence that seeks to end the fight decisively.

6. The King's Retreat (The Controlled Escape)

• Description: A defensive technique that combines a final defensive block with a step back to create safe distance.

• Effect: The attacker must have a target in melee. Instead of an attack, the character declares the King's Retreat. For the rest of the round, they gain a +2 bonus to their AC. On their next turn, the character may move up to their full movement speed without provoking an attack of opportunity from the targeted enemy.

• Narrative: Not an attack, but a strategic withdraw, ensuring the King's safety to fight another round.

Suggested Rule Integration (Classic OSR)

• When to Use: A player declares the maneuver before rolling their attack.

• Check: Use the character's normal To Hit roll (or an opposed roll against the target's AC).

• Fighters Only: You might consider limiting the more complex maneuvers (Bishop, Queen, Knight) to only the Fighter class or those with a high Strength/Dexterity score, to emphasize their martial mastery.

• Failure: If the attack misses, the turn is simply lost, as is typical in OSR combat, highlighting the risk/reward.

Conclusion

The Scholar's Discipline offers your game a chance to trade simple hack-and-slash for moments of calculated martial genius. Encourage your players to describe their moves with the precision of a chess match: "I execute the Knight's Gambit to flank his shield," or "I opt for the cautious King's Retreat."

May their discipline on the War of Squares bring them glory, and may they never face a Queen's Presence they cannot answer. Good luck, and happy gaming!

Spooky Times - D100 Ravenloft Mist Talismans

 Mist Talismans are nonmagical objects that resonate with a specific Domain of Dread, allowing a creature holding it to navigate the Mists to that domain. They take on ominous forms and are always unique.

Here is a table of 100 Mist Talismans for Ravenloft 5e, categorized by the Domain of Dread they point to.

100 Mist Talismans for Ravenloft 5e (D100):

D100 Domain of Dread Mist Talisman

01-10 Barovia (Strahd von Zarovich)

1. A worn, silver holy symbol of the Morninglord, snapped in half.

2. A single, perfectly preserved red rose, perpetually cold to the touch.

3. A tattered, ink-stained copy of The Tome of Strahd.

4. A small, wooden toy horse missing a leg, stained dark brown.

5. A corked bottle of purple-tinged, Barovian wine.

6. A charred scrap of parchment with the words "Is No Good" scrawled on it.

7. A smooth, black river stone that faintly smells of iron and blood.

8. A heavy, iron key to an unknown lock in Castle Ravenloft.

9. A raven's feather marked with the faint outline of a human eye.

10. A tarnished signet ring bearing the von Zarovich family crest.

11-15 Bluetspur (The God-Brain)

11. A cold, metallic implant that pulses with a silent, dull ache when held.

12. A scrap of bizarre technology that hums with a barely perceptible, alien frequency.

13. A journal filled with indecipherable script and unsettling anatomical sketches.

14. A petrified, gravity-defying chunk of oily, dark-purple stone.

15. A preserved brain-like organ floating in a jar of saline solution.

16-20 Borca (Ivana & Ivan Boritsi)

16. A silver locket containing a lock of braided, black hair and smelling faintly of almond extract (poison).

17. A tarnished signet ring bearing a viper coiled around a dagger.

18. A silk handkerchief embroidered with a single, perfectly formed tear drop.

19. A small, beautifully crafted hand mirror that only reflects a pale, sickly image.

20. A singed, perfumed love letter with the signature blacked out.

21-25 Carnival (The Ringmaster) 21. A colorful ticket stub for a show that has no title or date.

22. A small, painted wooden ball that changes color in misty light.

23. A clown's oversized button with a faint, unsettling smile on it.

24. A rubber chicken that smells faintly of popcorn and cheap cologne.

25. A small, wind-up music box that plays a cheerful tune... slightly too fast.

26-30 Dementlieu (Firan Zal'honan)

26. A jeweled, feathered masquerade mask for a face far too large.

27. A meticulously folded, gilt-edged invitation to an unnamed grand ball.

28. A worn, expensive dancing slipper made of glass or spun gold.

29. A miniature guillotine, only a few inches high, made of polished mahogany.

30. A calling card with no name, only a single, delicately drawn raven.

31-35 Falkovnia (Vladeska Drakov)

31. A rusty, bloody spear head marked with the symbol of the Blood Falcon.

32. A scrap of stiff, pale flesh that twitches faintly when exposed to heat.

33. A correspondence from "Lekar" detailing military movements.

34. A single, large iron boot spur, worn smooth and caked with mud.

35. A crude, carved wooden doll of a soldier being overrun by a horde.

36-40 Har'Akir (Ankhtepot)

36. A lapis lazuli scarab amulet that is unsettlingly warm to the touch.

37. A miniature canopic jar stoppered with the head of a hawk.

38. A stiff, dessicated scroll covered in faded hieroglyphics.

39. A small pouch of sand that shifts into a different, coarser grain every few hours.

40. A broken pottery shard painted with the face of a serene, forgotten god.

41-45 I'Cath (Tsien Chiang)

41. A scrap of ghost hair silk that feels like holding mist.

42. A small golden bell that chimes a melancholic note in the wind.

43. A scroll covered in repetitive prayers for a peaceful awakening.

44. A wooden fan depicting a beautiful, crying woman in traditional dress.

45. A jade hairpin carved to look like a sleeping dragon.

46-50 Lamordia (Viktor Mordenheim)

46. An animate finger, stitched together from different skin tones, that wiggles when no one is looking.

47. A small vial of pale, glowing minerals that never dim.

48. A pristine set of surgical tools, still faintly smelling of ozone and blood.

49. A small, tightly-wound clockwork bird that never sings.

50. A leather-bound journal filled with technical diagrams of reanimation.

51-55 Mordent (Lord Wilfred Godefroy)

51. A broken piece of expensive-looking jewelry that chills the air around it.

52. A tarnished miniature death mask, cast in the likeness of a loved one.

53. A faded, water-damaged family portrait where one face has been scratched out.

54. A small, leather-bound volume of unsettling ghost stories.

55. A porcelain teacup that whispers the last word of the person who drank from it.

56-60 Nightmare Lands (The Nightmare Court)

56. A child's music box with a rotating ballerina, which only plays the same discordant chord.

57. A glass orb filled with shifting, multicolored smoke.

58. A straight jacket covered in charcoal runes that pulse with faint heat.

59. A small, smooth pebble that feels exactly like a loose tooth.

60. A dream catcher woven with strands of gray hair and bits of bone.

61-65 Nova Vaasa (Chakuna, The Horseman)

61. A blood-stained sword pommel from an ornate military saber.

62. A tarnished, heavy wedding ring engraved with two galloping horses.

63. A set of perfectly balanced, rusted iron scales.

64. A single, dark leather riding glove that is warm on the inside.

65. A folded-up proclamation declaring martial law in the name of the 'First Noble'.

66-70 Odiare (Maligno)

66. A small, wooden marionette with empty eye sockets.

67. A blood-stained, cloth children's toy (a doll or teddy bear).

68. A perfectly round, red rubber ball that bounces too high and too silently.

69. A page from a children's storybook that depicts a monster happily eating a child.

70. A small, broken piece of chalk that still smells strongly of sulfur.

71-75 Richemulot (Jacqueline Renier)

71. A plague doctor's leather mask, riddled with tiny bite marks.

72. A preserved, velvet-smooth rat's tail tied with a silk ribbon.

73. A sealed vial of murky, brown snake-oil curative.

74. A small, intricate bronze cage, far too small for any normal pet.

75. A greasy, folded restaurant menu with rat listed as the main dish.

76-80 Scaena (Isabella the Mute)

76. A cracked, plaster comedy mask with perpetual dried tear stains.

77. A playbill for a tragedy where all the actors' names are listed as "The Audience."

78. A small, velvet-covered program from a silent opera.

79. A length of silken cord, once used to pull a stage curtain, now frayed and brittle.

80. A scrap of singed wood from a theater set, smelling faintly of old greasepaint.

81-85 Sea of Sorrows (Pietra van Riese)

81. A heavy, waterlogged tricorn hat smelling of salt and decay.

82. A tiny ship in a bottle that sails on a turbulent, black liquid.

83. A brass sextant that always points down into the murky depths.

84. A piece of barnacle-encrusted driftwood that pulses with a cold, slow beat.

85. A shark tooth necklace that seems to slowly grow sharper over time.

86-90 Souragne (Anton Misroi)

86. A vial of murky, black swamp water that never settles.

87. A small voodoo doll made of moss and sticks, wrapped in black thread.

88. A rusty set of keys that rattle when no one touches them.

89. A skull carved from a coconut, its eyes filled with dried beans.

90. A petrified human tongue wrapped in a dried lily pad.

91-95 Tepest (The Hags of Tepest)

91. A bloodstained, wooden farm implement (a rake tine or scythe handle).

92. A crudely made straw doll with small, sharp teeth sewn into its mouth.

93. A crown of dried, white camelias that crumble when gripped too tightly.

94. A small ceramic jar containing a foul-smelling, bubbling stew.

95. A piece of woven hair from a bonfire, smelling of woodsmoke and burnt sugar.

96-100 Valachan (Chakuna, The Huntress)

96. A polished hunting trophy (a claw or tooth) that feels unnaturally light.

97. A single, dark leather lash from a whip.

98. A small, bronze whistle that, when blown, makes the sound of a roaring beast.

99. A fragment of a faded, detailed map of dense, unexplored jungle.

100. A hunting knife with a hilt carved from dark, unknown bone.

Compass Roleplaying Styles!

 

Compass Roleplaying Styles:

The original West Marches campaign structure, pioneered by Ben Robbins, is an iconic sandbox style defined by a safe central hub on one side and a vast, player-driven wilderness for exploration to the West.

But what if we shift that safe zone? By anchoring the players to one of the other three cardinal directions, we can create variations that drastically change the tone, focus, and challenges of the campaign.

Here are four distinct TTRPG campaign styles based on the four directions: the original West Marches, and variations for the North, South, and East.

The Four Marches: An Exploration of Directional Campaign Styles

Direction	Primary Focus	Home Base & Theme	Defining Challenge
West Marches (Original)	Exploration & Discovery	A safe town on the East border, venturing into unknown wilderness.	Survival, mapping, and monster combat in terra incognita.
North Marches (Survival)	Endurance & Logistics	A warm lodge on the South edge of a frozen wasteland.	Extreme weather, resource management (food, fuel, warmth), and environment itself.
South Marches (Depth)	Mystery & Pressure	A floating platform on the North edge of a submerged ruin or abyss.	Water pressure, air supply, equipment failure, and psychological/cosmic horror.
East Marches (Intrigue)	Factions & Infiltration	A neutral embassy on the West edge of a vast, political empire.	Social contracts, betrayal, high-level intrigue, and non-combat assassination.

1. The Westward Expansion (The Original West Marches)

• The Setting: A single, established safe town or fortress sits on the eastern edge of a large, unexplored, and dangerous territory—the Marches. The campaign world is essentially a large, blank canvas to the West.

• The Theme: Exploration, Pioneerism, and Uncovering Secrets. The players are mapping the unknown, discovering lost ruins, ancient dungeons, and hostile populations. The focus is on terra incognita and cartography.

• The Core Loop:

  • The Goal: Venture West, find a point of interest (a ruin, a dungeon, a treasure), survive the journey, explore it, and return to the safe base.

  • The Home Base: The "civilized" area is a stable, non-adventuring base where characters can rest, buy basic gear, and share information. Crucially, nothing interesting or dangerous happens here.

  • The Danger: Unpredictable wilderness travel, hostile monsters, and deadly dungeons. The lethality increases the further West the party travels from the safety of the town.

  • The Meta-Game: Information Sharing is key. One party's failure to clear a dungeon means another, better-informed party can try again. Players' hand-drawn maps and session reports are the most valuable resource, as they help subsequent groups plan their own expeditions.

• Defining Rules:

  • Player-Scheduled: Sessions are only scheduled when the players organize a party and state their goal.

  • Fluid Roster: A large pool of players participate in different parties each session.

  • Start and End Safe: All adventures begin and end at the safe base.

2. The North Passage (North Marches)

This variation focuses on Survival, Hardship, and the Return to Warmth.

• The Setting: A harsh, frozen tundra or a perilous mountain range stretches to the North. The only permanent, safe settlement is a southern, well-supplied Lodge or a stoutly walled Fortress at the edge of the civilized climate.

• The Theme: The environment is as much an enemy as any monster. The campaign centers around enduring extreme cold, managing limited supplies (especially food, fuel, and specialized gear like warm clothing or ice-climbing tools), and pushing into an unforgiving, geologically active wilderness.

• The Core Loop:

  • The Goal: Expeditions are often for specific, practical resources (rare minerals, specific furs, lost caches of ancient tech/magic) or to establish temporary, fortified Outposts deeper in the North.

  • The Home Base: The Southern Lodge/Fortress is a haven of warmth and commerce. Players spend time recovering from frostbite, repairing gear, and securing high-demand cold-weather supplies. The tension is in knowing that every day away from the fire is a slow drain on their survival.

  • The Danger: Cold, starvation, blizzards, avalanches, and creatures adapted to the sub-zero climate. Travel is slow and brutal. The world punishes in real-time.

  • The Meta-Game: Players compete for limited specialized equipment, or form strategic alliances to share heavy-duty winter gear, making logistics a critical part of the player-driven planning.

---

3. The Sunken City (South Marches)

This variation focuses on Mystery, Decay, and the Depths.

• The Setting: The base of operations is a Floating Platform, a repurposed warship, or a small, self-sustaining Submarine Base tethered in an open ocean. To the South lies the endless, dark abyss, or a ruined continent slowly sinking into the sea, now a maze of flooded tunnels and forgotten, submerged cities.

• The Theme: The campaign is about vertical exploration, water pressure, and the claustrophobic dread of the deep. It explores themes of loss, forgotten technology, and cosmic horror lurking beneath the waves.

• The Core Loop:

  • The Goal: Delving into the deep, either for salvage, ancient lore from a sunken civilization, or to hunt monstrous life forms that rise from the bottom.

  • The Home Base: The Platform/Base is safe but isolated. It's the only place to service specialized diving suits, repair submersible vehicles, and decompress. The threat isn't just outside the base, it's the constant threat of implosion, flooding, and psychological strain.

  • The Danger: Water pressure, running out of air, massive aquatic beasts, and mechanical failure of critical life-support gear. The deeper they go, the more bizarre and alien the challenges become.

  • The Meta-Game: Players must manage multiple resource pools (air tanks, battery life, structural integrity of submersibles) and the different groups might find a valuable wreck and race to salvage it before the next group can get there.

---

4. The Eastern Road (East Marches)

This variation focuses on Intrigue, Factions, and Diplomacy/Infiltration.

• The Setting: The safe base is a neutral Crossroads Tavern or an isolated Embassy on the western edge of a highly civilized, politically volatile, and densely populated Empire that stretches East. The Marches are not a wilderness, but a network of rival city-states, competing provinces, or the densely packed streets of a vast metropolis.

• The Theme: This is the opposite of the wilderness crawl. The danger is social and political. Lethality is high, but often comes from assassination, frame-jobs, or betrayal, rather than a goblin ambush.

• The Core Loop:

  • The Goal: Expeditions are social contracts. Players are hired to infiltrate a noble house, recover a stolen artifact from a rival guild, broker a dangerous trade agreement, or expose a high-ranking official.

  • The Home Base: The Crossroads Tavern is safe from the Empire's direct political reach, allowing different factions to gather and hire adventurers without open conflict. Information and reputation are the primary currency.

  • The Danger: High-level social encounters, being exposed as spies, public execution, or a sudden, non-combat encounter with a vastly more powerful political entity. Combat is quick, brutal, and often illegal.

  • The Meta-Game: Session reports would focus less on a grid map and more on an Intrigue Board, detailing known factions, their loyalties, and discovered secrets. One party's success (or failure) in a political maneuver can drastically alter the standing of a faction for the next party.

Whether your players are braving the cold logic of the North Marches, delving into the crushing secrets of the South Marches, navigating the gilded, backstabbing courts of the East Marches, or pioneering the untamed wilds of the original West Marches, shifting the compass point provides a fresh and compelling challenge.

Each direction establishes a unique set of hazards and rewards, giving your player pool entirely new ways to coordinate, survive, and leave their mark on the campaign world. The core West Marches structure - player-driven sessions, a rotating cast, and a persistent world - remains the engine, but the new setting dictates a completely different narrative and mechanical focus.

Soooo...Mages Back in 5e, Huh?

 

Mage 

The Mage is a master of both arcane magic and martial prowess, blending the study of spells with disciplined combat training. While wizards and sorcerers may focus solely on their casting, a Mage weaves both together, seeing spell and sword as two halves of a whole.

Class Features

As a Mage, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

• Hit Dice: 1d8 per Mage level

• Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier

• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per Mage level after 1st

Proficiencies

• Armor: Light armor

• Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons

• Tools: None

• Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom

• Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Persuasion.

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

• (a) a martial weapon and a light shield or (b) two martial weapons

• (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) two simple weapons

• An arcane focus

• An explorer's pack or a scholar's pack

• Leather armor

Spellcasting

As a Mage, you have a limited but versatile selection of spells that you can prepare and cast.

Cantrips You know two cantrips of your choice from the Mage spell list. You learn an additional Mage cantrip at 4th level and another at 10th level.

Spell Slots The Mage Spellcasting 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.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher You know a number of spells equal to your Intelligence modifier + your Mage level. You can choose these spells from the Mage spell list.

Preparing and Casting Spells The Mage Spellcasting 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.

Spellcasting Ability Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your Mage spells.

Spell Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier Spell Attack Modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Mage Spellcasting Table

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Cantrips Known	Spells Known	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
1st	+2	2	4	2	-	-	-	-
2nd	+2	2	5	3	-	-	-	-
3rd	+2	2	6	3	2	-	-	-
4th	+2	3	7	3	2	-	-	-
5th	+3	3	8	4	2	2	-	-
6th	+3	3	9	4	3	2	-	-
7th	+3	3	10	4	3	3	-	-
8th	+3	3	11	4	3	3	2	-
9th	+4	3	12	4	3	3	3	-
10th	+4	4	13	4	3	3	3	2
11th	+4	4	14	4	3	3	3	3
12th	+4	4	15	4	3	3	3	3
13th	+5	4	16	4	3	3	3	3
14th	+5	4	17	4	3	3	3	3
15th	+5	4	18	4	3	3	3	3
16th	+5	4	19	4	3	3	3	3
17th	+6	4	20	4	3	3	3	3
18th	+6	4	21	4	3	3	3	3
19th	+6	4	22	4	3	3	3	3
20th	+6	4	23	4	3	3	3	3

Additional Class Features

• Fighting Style (2nd Level): You adopt a particular 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 to choose again.

  • Defense: While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

  • Dueling: When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.

  • Great Weapon Fighting: When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2.

  • Two-Weapon Fighting: When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.

• Extra Attack (5th Level): You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

• Improved Cantrips (11th Level): The damage of your cantrips increases by an additional die.

• Master of Two Worlds (18th Level): You can now cast a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action as a bonus action, or make a single weapon attack as a bonus action, on any turn you take the Attack action.

• Arcane Champion (20th Level): When you roll for initiative and have no uses of a Mage Archetype feature, you regain one expended use of that feature.

Mage Archetypes

At 3rd level, you choose a Mage Archetype, which grants you a set of features that define your combat and magical style.

Blade Dancer

Blade Dancers are a rare breed of Mage who combine nimble footwork with bursts of spellcasting. Their movements are fluid, their attacks precise, and their magic as swift as a strike.

Bonus Proficiencies At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Acrobatics skill and medium armor.

Nimble Caster At 3rd level, when you are not wearing heavy armor, your walking speed increases by 10 feet. When you use your action to cast a spell, you can use your bonus action to make a single melee weapon attack.

Arcane Parry At 6th level, you can use a reaction to add your Intelligence modifier to your AC against one attack that would hit you. You must be holding a melee weapon.

Arcane Footwork At 7th level, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can move 10 feet without provoking an opportunity attack.

Evasive Maneuver At 10th level, when you take the Dodge action, your movement speed doubles for the turn. Additionally, you have advantage on Dexterity saving throws until the start of your next turn.

Flurry of Spells At 14th level, you can use your action to cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action. You can then make two melee weapon attacks as a bonus action.

Swift Casting At 15th level, you can use your bonus action to cast a spell of 1st level or higher with a casting time of 1 action. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Masterful Evasion At 18th level, your Evasion feature is improved. You have resistance to all damage types.

Blade Singer

Blade Singers are mages who have unlocked the mystical art of infusing their movements and attacks with raw arcane energy. They see magic not as a tool, but as a song, and their combat as a dance.

Bonus Proficiencies At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Performance skill and medium armor.

Blade Song At 3rd level, you can enter a magical state known as Blade Song. As a bonus action, you can start a Blade Song that lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are incapacitated, if you don medium or heavy armor or a shield, or if you make an attack with a two-handed weapon. You can also end it early as a bonus action. While your Blade Song is active, you gain the following benefits:

• You gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1).

• Your walking speed increases by 10 feet.

• You have advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of once) and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Spell and Steel At 6th level, when you make a melee weapon attack, you can cast a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action as a bonus action.

Song of Shielding At 7th level, while your Blade Song is active, you can use your reaction to give yourself a bonus to your AC or saving throw against one attack or spell that would hit you. The bonus equals your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1).

War Magic At 10th level, you can use your action to make a single melee weapon attack. If the attack hits, you can immediately cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action as a bonus action, without expending a spell slot. This must be a spell you have prepared. You can use this feature once per long rest.

Greater Blade Song At 14th level, while your Blade Song is active, you can add your Intelligence modifier to the damage of your melee weapon attacks.

Battle Song At 15th level, you can use your action to unleash a wave of magical energy. Each creature of your choice within 10 feet of you must make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, a creature takes force damage equal to 2d8 and is pushed 10 feet away from you.

Arcane Echo At 18th level, you can use your action to cast a spell of 1st level or higher that you have prepared. On your next turn, you can use a bonus action to cast the same spell again without expending a spell slot. You can use this feature once per long rest.

Hex Blade

Hex Blades are mages who form a pact with an enigmatic entity, imbuing a weapon of their choice with dark power. They are feared for their ability to focus malevolent energy into a single, devastating curse.

Bonus Proficiencies At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in medium armor, shields, and martial weapons. Additionally, you can choose one martial weapon to be your pact weapon. You can use your Charisma modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls of attacks with your pact weapon.

Hex Curse At 3rd level, you can use a bonus action to place a Hex Curse on one creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The curse lasts for 1 minute or until the target drops to 0 hit points. Until the curse ends, you gain the following benefits:

• You add your proficiency bonus to the damage of your attacks against the cursed target.

• Any attack roll you make against the cursed target is a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.

You can use this feature once per short or long rest.

Empowered Curse At 6th level, your Hex Curse improves. When you reduce a cursed creature to 0 hit points, you can use a reaction to cause a wave of necrotic energy to lash out. Each creature of your choice within 10 feet of the target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes necrotic damage equal to your Mage level.

Cursed Strike At 7th level, when you hit a creature with your pact weapon, you can expend a spell slot to deal an additional 1d8 necrotic damage for each spell slot level.

Dreadful Summons At 10th level, as an action, you can summon a shadowy, spectral blade to strike at a creature you can see within 60 feet. Make a melee spell attack using your Charisma modifier. On a hit, the target takes 2d8 force damage and is paralyzed until the start of your next turn.

Pact Boon At 14th level, you can choose a different weapon to be your pact weapon after a short or long rest. You can also temporarily imbue your pact weapon with a spell. As a bonus action, you can expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher to add extra damage to your next attack with the pact weapon. The damage equals 2d6 per spell slot level. The damage type is the same as the spell you used.

Hex Master At 15th level, you can use your Hex Curse on a second creature, and the curse's duration is now 10 minutes.

Soul Harvest At 18th level, when a creature cursed by you drops to 0 hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Mage level + your Charisma modifier.

**This material is not official and is not endorsed by Wizards of the Coast. Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master, and all other Wizards of the Coast product names and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the USA and other countries. All rights reserved.**

Support Lets Quest!

Great program for the youth!