CONDUIT The fabric of reality rips open, and a cloaked half-orc is revealed through the shimmering portal. An unsuspecting guard draws his weapon, but before he can attack, his body blinks momentarily into a plane of fire. He reemerges, dead, covered in severe burns. Runes covering the body of the half-orc glow a dim orange, and he shudders, visibly drained. Spells fly and weapons clash, as yet another horde of goblins assail a small group of heroes. Just before the tide of battle shifts permanently in the favor of the dungeon-dwellers, a dwarf screams in pain as her body begins to suspend from the ground. Elemental energy arcs everywhere, as the image of her body flickers and bright flashes of color boil around her. With eyes glowing white and hair whipping in all directions, she throws her hands forward, felling tens of foes in a wave of magical force. A Living Doorway The psionic energy of a sentient race is one of the few things powerful enough to manipulate the fabric of the planes. Through great trouble and pain, the body can be transformed to amplify this psionic energy, disrupting the material plane and enabling access to planes beyond. Although many races over the years have found unique techinques to unlock this power, all conduits are partially untethered from the material plane, and rely on a sentimental totem to stabilize them. This is, however, a one way ticket to chronic suffering. Once you transform yourself into an extraplanar gateway, you cannot go back, and your condition will worsen as often as you wield it. Tougher races will be better equipped to undergo this transformation, but any unlucky or desperate enough to do so may try. Sacrifice for Power A conduit's abilities are won through days, months, or years of study and sacrifice. Much of this time might be spent scouring the realm, as templates to become a living portal are largely forbidden knowledge. The reward, however, is the ability to freely traverse any plane in existence. Assuming you survive the process. It's difficult to conceal your transformation: you might have dark artifacts bonded to your skin, or small runic tattoos covering your body. Your skin loses pigmentation, and the exhaustion of your condition reads on your face. Your character might occasionally flicker, shimmer, or fade. The smell of ash often follows in your wake. These effects might surprise, concern, or horrify you--or, they might contribute to your general apathy. Creating a Conduit Even taking into account the substantial power of a conduit, choosing this lifestyle is ill-advised. It's worth considering how your character got here: a fervent religious sect might groom an orphan for planar travel, hoping to contact their diety. A creature who has lost everything might hope only to rescue the souls of loved ones from their final resting place. Additionally, consider what your outlook is on your condition. Conduits often understand their abilities in the context of a disease: only the most desperate, or brave, will walk this path. 1

The Conduit Level Proficiency Bonus Features Cantrips Known Rifts Spell Level 1st +2 Conditional Spellcasting, Tunnel 2 - - 2nd +2 Rift, Afflictive Temperament 2 1 1 3rd +2 Empowered Shunt 2 1 1 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 3 2 2 5th +3 Afflictive Temperament feature 3 2 2 6th +3 Translucent Form 3 2 3 7th +3 Phase Cancellation 3 2 3 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 3 2 4 9th +4 Unstable Body 3 2 4 10th +4 Astral Gaze 3 2 5 11th +4 Afflictive Temperament feature 4 3 5 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 4 3 6 13th +5 Weightless 4 3 6 14th +5 Ability Score Improvement, Beyond the Veil 4 3 7 15th +5 Traveler 3 4 7 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 4 4 7 17th +6 Afflictive Temperament feature 4 4 7 18th +6 Prismatic Barrier 4 4 7 19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 4 4 7 20th +6 Multiplanar Adept 4 4 7 Quick Build You can make a conduit quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Constitution your highest ability score. Constitution regulates your ability to survive abilities granted by this class. Second, choose the Hermit background. Finally, choose the Shunt and Minor Illusion cantrips. Class Features As a conduit, you gain the following class features. Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d4 per conduit level

1d4 per conduit level Hit Points at 1st Level: 4 + your Constitution modifier

4 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d4 (or 3) + your Constitution modifier per conduit level after 1st Proficiencies Armor: None

None Weapons: Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaves, light crossbows

Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaves, light crossbows Tools: Navigator's Tools, Cartographer's Tools

Navigator's Tools, Cartographer's Tools Saving Throws: Constitution, Intelligence

Constitution, Intelligence Skills: Choose four from Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Intimidation, Perception, Survival Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: Navigator's Tools and Cartographer's Tools

(a) an explorer's pack, or (b) a scholar's pack

(a) a quarterstaff or (b) a dagger

some small sentimental object, called a totem, which now binds you to the material plane Friends on the Other Side Unlinking yourself from the material plane has opened your mind to understanding languages spoken on other planes. You can speak (but not read or write) one additional language of your choice: Abyssal, Celestial, Primordial, Sylvan, or Infernal. Tunnel At 1st level, you can navigate short distances in the material plane easily through the ethereal plane. As a bonus action, you may choose to have some or all of the movement you make this turn be traversed through the ethereal plane. Moving in this way does not provoke opportunity attacks, and you may travel in any direction as if it was normal terrain. Whenever you are finished moving in this way, you must be in an unoccupied space. You may do this a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of once). Expended uses recharge on a long rest. 2

Conditional Spellcasting At 1st level, by turning your body into a gateway, you have the use of magical effects. You accomplish this by amplifying the energy that bleeds through your body, casting unstable but powerful spells. Spellcasting Ability Constitution is your spellcasting ability for your conduit spells. Planar energy boils all around you constantly, and your physical fortitude limits the amplification of these energies into the material plane. Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier Spellcasting Focus Conduits do not need a traditional component pouch or spellcasting focus. However, as they themselves are untethered from the material plane, they must choose a sentimental object to become a totem. This totem serves as an external anchor, and enables all spellcasting. Long-term separation from this object might have permanent and potentially fatal repercussions, determined by your DM. Since your spellcasting is channeled from other planes, you ignore material components for all conduit spells. Cantrips At 1st level, you know two cantrips of your choice from the conduit cantrip list: create bonfire, mage hand, light, minor illusion, prestidigitation, primal savagery, shocking grasp, sword burst, word of radiance, infestation, gust, fire bolt, frostbite, ray of frost, thunderclap, acid splash, dancing lights You may also choose the shunt cantrip, a powerful conduit spell, detailed on this page. You learn additional conduit cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the conduit table. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the conduit cantrips you know and replace it with another cantrip from the conduit cantrip list. Casting Spells At 2nd level, conduits can cast known spells of 1st level and higher, but only while the Rift feature is active (listed below). However, during a Rift, you may cast known spells any number of times. Moreover, your spellcasting is limited not by spell slots, but instead by whether or not you are in a Rift. All rift spells are automatically cast at a level shown on the Spell Level column of the conduit table. Additionally, after a Rift is over, you lose concentration, and your Rift spells are all dismissed. Rift spellcasting may only make use of spells offered by this class. Spellcasting granted by class features may be used outside of an active Rift, unless indicated otherwise. Shunt Transmutation Cantrip Casting Time: 1 action

1 action Range: 120 feet

120 feet Components: S

S Duration: Instantaneous A creature of your choice within range must succeed a Charisma saving throw or be momentarily shunted from the material plane. The creature takes 1d10 damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Damage type is resolved by rolling on the following table: d8 Damage Type 1 Acid 2 Cold 3 Fire 4 Force 5 Lightning 6 Poison 7 Psychic 8 Thunder The spell's damage increases by 1d10 when you reach 5th level (2d10), 11th level (3d10), and 17th level (4d10). Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher Starting at 2nd level, you know the following spells, as long as you meet their minimum level requirement: Conduit Level Rift Spells 2 shield, chaos bolt 4 mirror image, shatter 6 erupting earth, hypnotic pattern 8 dimension door, storm sphere 10 wall of force, dawn 12 globe of invulnerability, disintegrate 14 etherealness, prismatic spray Rift At 2nd level, as a bonus action, you may initiate a Rift. Rifting starts a taxing process where you create a planar gateway with your corporeal form, sowing destruction at great risk to yourself. Rifts enable spellcasting and certain features. While Rifting, excluding the turn Rift is initiated, you must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw at the beginning of your turn. A failure incurs a negative bane, called a toll. The nature of this toll is determined by your archetype. 3

You may dismiss a Rift as a bonus action at the end of your turn. Rifts are automatically dismissed if you fall unconscious. If a Rift is not dismissed, it concludes after 1 minute. When a Rift is dismissed or concluded, you fall prone, and are incapacitated until the end of your next turn. You can Rift a number of times shown on the conduit table. Your Rifts recharge after a long rest. Empowered Shunt At 3rd level, while Rifting, when you use your action to cast shunt, you may empower it as part of the same action. Using this feature, you roll twice on the shunt damage type table, choosing the preferred result. Additionally, if the target fails its saving throw, it vanishes from the material plane until the end of its next turn. When using this feature, a target suffers additional effects determined by the damage type rolled: Damage Type Empowered Effect Acid Target takes an additional acid damage equal to the damage rolled. Cold Target’s speed is reduced to 0. It must make a Constitution saving throw against your Spell Save DC at the end of each of its turns, ending this effect on a success. Fire Target suffers the Frightened condition. It must make a Wisdom saving throw against your Spell Save DC at the end of each of its turns, ending the condition on a success. Force Target is pushed 10ft in the opposite direction of the caster, and knocked prone. If something occupies this space, both the target and the obstacle take 1d6 bludgeoning damage. Lightning Target suffers the Stunned condition until the end of its next turn. Poison Target suffers the Poisoned condition. It must make a Constitution saving throw against your Spell Save DC at the end of each of its turns, ending the condition on a success. Psychic Target suffers the Paralyzed condition until the end of its next turn. Thunder Target takes an additional Thunder damage equal to initial damage rolled. Additionally, the target suffers the Deafened condition until the end of its next turn. If you do not know the shunt cantrip, you may use this ability as if you did. You choose to use this ability before you know if the target fails its saving throw or not. You may use this ability once per long rest. Ability Score Improvement When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 14th, 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. Translucent Form At 6th level, as an action, you can pass through solid materials no greater than 1ft thickness. Phase Cancellation At 7th level, once per long rest, you may momentarily release your grip on the material plane to avoid harm. As a reaction when you would take damage, you may gain resistance to all of that damage. If you already have resistance to a given damage type, you gain immunity instead. This effect expires after the triggering attack. Unstable Body At 9th level, as your connection to other planes grows stronger, your corporeal form grows more unstable. When you are hit with a melee attack, you may use your reaction to force the attacker to succeed a Dexterity saving throw against your Spell Save DC, or take 1d6 force damage. Astral Gaze At 10th level, you may manipulate your perception of the material plane to gaze upon persons of interest. Once per long rest, you can cast Scrying without the use of a spell slot or material components. Weightless At 13th level, while Rifting, you gain a flying speed equal to your movement speed. If a Rift is interrupted or concluded while you're in the air, you take falling damage following normal rules. Beyond the Veil At 14th level, you may cast Detect Magic as a ritual. Additionally, once per long rest, you may cast True Seeing on yourself without the use of a spell slot or material components. Traveler At 15th level, if you have Rifts left, you can reduce your remaining Rifts by 1 to cast Plane Shift (affecting only yourself) without using a spell slot or material components. Prismatic Barrier At 18th level, while Rifting, gain resistance to nonmagical damage, except for damage inflicted upon yourself using class features and abilities. Multiplanar Adept At 20th level, you have full control over the network of planes. If you have Rifts left, you may reduce your remaining Rifts by 1 to cast Gate, without the use of a spell slot or material components. Additionally, when using the Traveler ability, you may cast it on another creature. As normal, an unwilling creature must fail a Charisma saving throw against your Spell Save DC to suffer this effect. 4

Afflictive Temperament Using your physical form as an extraplanar doorway is immensely taxing. At 2nd level, choose how you manage your condition. Volatile Seeking to maximize the power granted by your condition, you are equal parts unstable and dangerous. Volatile conduits exaggerate the bleed between planes, pushing past the limits of how much suffering flesh can take. By choosing to submit, pain and instability are your closest friends. Volatile Toll While Rifting, failing the Rift constitution saving throw incurs necrotic damage equal to twice your conduit level. This damage ignores resistances and immunities. Expanded Spell List Your recklessness with your condition allows you to cause unchecked chaos on the material plane. When you choose this archetype at 2nd level, you know the following additional spells, provided you meet their minimum level requirement. Volatile Expanded Spells Conduit Level Spells 2 witch bolt 4 hellish rebuke 6 vampiric touch 8 blight 10 destructive wave 12 chain lightning 14 power word pain Desperation Gambit When you choose this archetype at 2nd level, if you are out of Rifts, as a bonus action you may take 3d4 Necrotic damage to trigger another Rift. You may do this once per long rest. Rupture At 5th level, you can use the psionic energy of sentient creatures to hurt them. As an action, make a ranged spell attack against a creature you can see within 60ft. On a hit, it takes 3d10 Psychic damage, and other creatures within a 10ft radius of the affected creature must succeed a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC or take 3d6 Force damage. You can do this a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of once). Expended uses recharge on a long rest. Cripple At 11th level, once per turn when you deal damage, you may add 2d8 necrotic damage. When using this ability, you must choose one of the d8s, taking that much necrotic damage to yourself. Detonate At 17th level, as an action and without the use of a spell slot, you may willingly drop to 0 hit points to cast Fireball centered on yourself. It is cast at 7th level, and all of its damage becomes force damage. Additional force damage is dealt equal to 1/2 of all Hit Points lost using this ability. You do not take damage from this spell, and become unconcsious but stable. If you are revived, you cannot use this ability again for 7 days. Adept Rigorous practice and study have earned you skillful control over the disruption of the material plane. Adept conduits reduce the harmful effects of a Rift through extreme diligence, and can choose from a broader range of powerful effects. Your abilities rival even the most talented spellcasters. Adept Toll While Rifting, failing the Rift constitution saving throw incurs one level of exhaustion. Expanded Spell List Practiced restraint and study of your condition has given you greater control over how you channel the planes. When you choose this archetype at 2nd level, you know the following additional spells, provided you meet their minimum level requirement. Adept Expanded Spells Conduit Level Spells 2 magic missile 4 hold person 6 counterspell 8 banishment 10 telekinesis 12 scatter 14 reverse gravity Rift Control When you choose this archetype at 2nd level, you have advantage on Rift constitution saving throws. Additionally, your level of exhaustion (if any) is reduced by one on both short and long rests. Elemental Gateway At 5th level, as an action, you can temporarily open an unstable gateway to the inner planes. Choose a point you can see within 120 feet, and choose one of the following damage types--acid, cold, fire, lighting, or thunder. Any creature within a 15 foot radius from that point must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 6d6 damage, or half as much damage on a successful one. You can do this a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of once). Expended uses recharge on a long rest. 5