The Trickster (Balance WIP) The grinning elf runs away from the guards chasing him and leaps into a swiftly flowing stream. At the crest of the jump his form shifts and transforms into that of a fish that lands in the water with a splash. The guards try to find him but he has already swum far away. A human female strikes at bandit chief with her travelling staff, knocking him down in one swing. She then spins to confront the rest of his gang and laughs as they flee in terror. A Halfling stands at a large stone door attempting to pick at the lock, he turns and becomes invisible as a handful of guards turn the corner. They pass without incident and he resumes his lock picking. A Way with Words The tricksters greatest weapon is his tongue, able to persuade and lie with ease. His magic only supplements this ability and allows him to deceive and mislead more people. Some tricksters utilise the iconic traveling staff, wielding it with deadly precision, while others focus on the power of words, taunting and destroying their enemies with words of power. A Tricksters Life Learning how to be a trickster is a lifelong pursuit, most tricksters show aptitude as children playing harmless, or not so harmless, practical jokes on friends, family or even total strangers. As they grow up they learn to temper their nature and control their desire for chaos in order to have the most impact. Many tricksters venture out of a desire for notoriety and power. Some tricksters may travel out of wanderlust or a search for knowledge while others prefer not to travel at all, finding a city in which to cause maximum chaos. Creating a Trickster Tricksters aim to create chaos wherever they travel, nothing gives them greater joy. Think about what motivated you to become a trickster, do you enjoy causing chaos or do you rebel against a lawful society? Did you have a master or role model that you seek to exemplify or did you start on the path to being a trickster alone against the world? How do you support yourself, through thievery or deception or do you earn money legitimately, despite your skills? When making a trickster it is important to have a reason for your character to be following the path of the trickster. Is your character aware of the pain they cause people, or do they enjoy the suffering of the people they torment? Quick Build First make Intelligence your highest stat followed by Dexterity, choose urchin or entertainer as your background. Chose Vicious Mockery and Friends as your cantrips. Pick Secrets of the Mind as your level 1 secret. The Trickster Level Proficiency Bonus Features Cantrips Known Secret Level 1st +2 Spellcasting, Expertise 2 1 2nd +2 Cunning Defence, Shifter of Form(1) 2 1 3rd +2 Path of the Trickster 2 2 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 3 2 5th +3 Trickster's Fortune (1) 3 3 6th +3 Path of the Trickster Feature 3 3 7th +3 Shifter of Form(2) 4 4 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 4 4 9th +4 Subtle Spell Casting 4 5 10th +4 5 5 11th +4 Path of the Trickster Feature 5 6 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 5 1,2 13th +5 Improved Subtle Spell Casting 6 7 14th +5 Trickster's Fortune (2) 6 1,2 15th +5 Master of Many Faces 6 8 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement, 6 1,3 17th +6 6 9 18th +6 6 2,4 19th +6 Ability Score Improvement, 6 5,6 20th +6 Nine Lives 6 7,8

Class Features As a trickster you gain the following class features. Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d8 per trickster level Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per trickster level after 1st Proficiencies Armor: Light armour Weapons: Simple weapons Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence Skills: Choose four from Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception. Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Performance. Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: leather armour

(a) a quarterstaff or (b) a dagger

a dagger

a light crossbow

(a) a Burglars Pack or (b) an Explorer's Pack and 5 gold Spellcasting You have learned to cast simple magics using your wits to power them. See chapter 10 of the player’s handbook for the general rules of spellcasting. Cantrips You know 2 cantrips from the trickster spell list. You learn additional trickster cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Trickster table. Trickster Secrets Tricksters do not know spells the same way sorcerers or wizards do, instead they learn secrets, which can either grant them access to certain spells or other abilities. At first level you know one first level secret. Each time you level up you learn one additional secret whose maximum level is determined by the Secret Level column of the Trickster table. The exeption to this are levels 12, 14,16,18,19 and 20 where you gain two secrets of the levels shown. Every level divisible by 3 you may replace one secret with one of equal or lower level. Spellcasting Ability Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your trickster spells. Your magic is powered by your wit and cleverness and understanding of magic. You use Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a trickster spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one. Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence Modifier Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier Spellcasting Focus Tricksters are unique in that they can cast any trickster spell without a spell focus or material components, the exception being if a cost is indicated for a component, you must have that specific component before you can cast the spell. Shifter of Form Beginning at 2nd level you may choose a beast with a challenge rating less than 1/2. You may transform into this beast as a bonus action. While in this form you retain your mental ability scores, hit points and mental skills but gain physical ability scores, movement speeds, senses and abilities of the chosen form. While in this form you may not cast spells or speak. In addition you may add your Intelligence to your AC while transformed. Your creature type remains the same. you can return to your normal form as a bonus action. At 7th level you may choose another form within the same restrictions, you may choose also choose 2 additional forms at level 14. Cunning Defence You have learned to foresee your opponent’s attacks. Starting at 2nd level your AC is equal to 13 + your Dexterity modifier, provided you are not incapacitated and are not wearing armour. Trickster Path When you reach 3rd level you may select a path to follow, either Path of the Vagabond or Path of the Wit, all detailed at the end of the class description. The path gains features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 11 and 17th level. Luck of the Trickster Starting at 5th level, glimpses of the future begin to press in on your awareness. When you finish a long rest, roll one d20s and record the number rolled. You can replace any attack roll, saving throw, or ability check made by you or a creature that you can see with one of these foretelling rolls. You must choose to do so before the roll, and you can replace a roll in this way only once per turn. Each foretelling roll can be used only once. When you finish a long rest, you lose any unused foretelling rolls. You gain an additional dice at 14th level. Subtle Spell Casting Beginning at 9th level you have mastered the of stealthy spell casting art and can cast any trickster cantrip or spell gained from a Secret without any verbal and somatic components. Master of Many Faces Beginning at 15th level you have learnt to change your own form without taking that of an animal. You can cast the alter self spell at will.

Nine lives At 20th level your luck manifests itself into nine lives. The first eight times you suffer a death effect, fail a final death save or die through some other means, you do not die and regain 1 hit point. Once you have run out of lives you die as normal. The number of lives cannot be changed by any effect, even a wish will not give you more lives though resurrection magic functions as normal. Paths of the Trickster Path of the Vagabond Followers of this path are travellers and drifters, never staying in one place for long, they rely on their wits and trusty quarterstaff to survive, learning to wield it with deathly precision and power. Starting at 3rd level, when you chose this path you may use intelligence instead of strength for the attack and damage rolls of melee attacks using a quarterstaff. You also gain proficiency in Knowledge Nature and Survival, if you are already proficient you gain double proficiency in the skill. Starting at 6th level you can make 2 attacks when you take the attack action. Starting at 11th level a target you hit with a quarterstaff must make a strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Path of the Wit Followers of this path learn to insult and goad with terrible skill. Starting at 3rd level when you cast Vicious Mockery you may replace the disadvantage on the targets next attack roll with one of the following benefits. Mind Melt: The target has disadvantage on the first roll it takes until the end of your next turn.

Shock: The target cannot take reactions until the end of your next turn.

Stumble: The targets speed is halved until the end of your next turn. Starting at 6th level, you can use a bonus action to cause all of the effects of the last Vicious Mockery to persist for an additional round, as if you had casted it again." Starting at 11th level you can use your Visious Mockery on a crowd of people. Once per short rest you can target every enemy within a 15 ft. of a point within 60 ft. of you. Trickster Secrets Level 1 Secrets of the Mind I You have learned to manipulate people’s minds to a small extent. You can cast either Tasha's Hideous Laughter, Sleep or Charm Person once per long or short rest. Secrets of the Wild I You have formed a connection with nature with which you can speak to animals and become their friend. You can cast Animal Friendship and Beast Bond once each per short or long rest. In addition, you can cast Speak with Animals as a ritual. Secrets of Magic You have learned to cast some simple spells as rituals. You learn the spells Identify, Comprehend Languages and Detect Magic as rituals. Secrets of the Voice You have learned to lace you voice with magic to command and harm. You can cast Command or Dissonant Whispers once per short or long rest. Level 2 Secrets of the Unseen You have learnt to bend light and move unseen. You can cast either Blur, Invisibility or Pass Without Trace once per short or long rest. Secrets of Sight I Your eyes see things that others do not. You can cast Find Traps, Darkvision and See Invisibility once each per day. Secrets of the Mist You have learnt to escape danger with magic. You can cast misty step once per short or long rest. After using this ability you have advantage on the next attack you make this turn. Secrets of the Mind II Your knowledge of the mind has increased allowing to you control your enemies. You can casy either crown of madness or Suggestion once per short or long rest. Level 3 Secrets of the Ether You have learned to throw yourself into the ethereal plane. You can cast blink as a bonus action once per long or short rest. Secrets of Counterspelling You have learned to counter you opponents magic. You can cast counter spell once or short or long rest. In addition, your Counterspell cannot be Counterspelled. Secrets of Antimagic You have learned to find and dispel magic. You can cast Detect Magic at will and can cast Dispel Magic or Remove Curse once per short or long rest.

Secrets of Protection from Divination You have learnt to hide from the sight of those who would magically scry you. You are under the spell Nondetection at all time. Level 4 Secrets of Freedom You have learnt to move freely at all times. You are under the effects of a Freedom of Movement spell at all time. Secrets of Movement You have learned to move swiftly, your movement speed in increased by 10 ft. and you can cast Dimension Door once per long rest. Secrets of the Unseen II Your powers to move unseen have increased further. You may cast Greater Invisibility once per long rest. Secrets of Shape You have learned to change others shapes in addition to your own. You can cast Polymorph once per long rest. In addition, you may chose beasts of challenge rating less than 1 when you take additional forms. Level 5 Secrets of the Mind III You have gained a mastery of influencing others minds. You can cast either Dominate Person, Dream, Geas, Mislead or Modify Memory once per long rest. In addition, if you have Secrets of the Mind I you can cast each spell one additional time per long rest. Secrets of the Wild II Your bond with nature allows you to make swift passage through forests. You can cast tree stride once per short or long rest. Secrets of Life You have learned to bring someone back from death. You gain Spare the Dying as a cantrip that does not count towards your limit for number of cantrips known. You can also cast Reincarnate once per long rest. Secrets of the Wall You have gained knowledge of walls and buildings. You have advantage on checks to find secrets doors and can cast either Wall of Stone, Wall of Sand, Wall of Wind, Wall of Water or Wall of Fire once per long rest. Level 6 Secrets of Sight II You have learned to see the unseen. You can cast True Seeing on yourself once per long rest. The Duration is increased to 8 hours. In addition, if you know the Secrets of Sight I, you can cast See Invisibility at will. Secrets of the Crowd You have learned to control crowds of people with your magic. You can cast either Mass Suggestion, Command (at 6th level) or Charm Person (at 6th level) once per long rest. Secret of Preparation You have learned to always be prepared for emergencies. Once per week you can spend an hour to cast Contingency with a duration of 5 days, you can choose any wizard, bard, or cleric spell of 5th level and below to be the triggered spell. The triggered spell is cast at 5th level. Level 7 Secret of Illusion You have mastered the art of tricking people with illusions. When you cast minor illusion, you can create both a sound and an image with a single casting of the spell. You can cast Silent Image at will. You can cast Phantasmal Killer once per short or long rest. Secrets of Regeneration You have learned the secrets to regeneration. As long as you are not incapacitated you regain 1 hit point at the start of each minute. In addition, any body parts (fingers, legs, tails, and so on) that have been lost are restored 2 hours after their dismemberment. If you have the severed part and hold it to the stump, the spell instantaneously causes the limb to knit to the stump. Secrets of the Void You have learnt the secrets of teleportation. You can cast either teleport or plane shift once per long rest. In addition, you can cast dimension door once per short or long rest. Level 8 Secrets of the Wilds III You have learned to control the weather. You can cast Control Weather once per short or long rest. Secrets of the Monsters You have learned how to control monsters. You can cast dominate monster once per day, however the target must not be a humanoid. The duration of this spell is doubled. Secrets of Trickery Your voice flows easily and people trust you. You can cast Glibness at will. Secrets of the Mind IV You are the master of manipulating people’s minds. You can cast Feeblemind once per long rest.