Planar Archetype Compendium Xanathar's Guide to Everything has a bunch of great archetypes, but I think my favorite is the Horizon Walker for the Ranger. Not because the mechanics of the class are particularly cool (although I do want to play one), but rather because I've always been a fan of the planar side of D&D, and the Horizon Walker is the only archetype so far that is really strongly identified with that type of D&D. However, the Horizon Walker is kind of a weird fit in games that don't have much to do with the planes, and there's not a ton of support yet for other classes using the planes. So, I thought I'd make my own! Without further ado, here are eight archetypes that I think would fit well in a planar game. This is a first draft and none of them have been playtested, but please let me know what you think! Barbarian Path: Path of the Channeller

Bard College: College of Cartographers

Cleric Domain: Travel Domain

Druid Circle: Circle of Bubbles

Fighter Martial Archetype: Survivor

Monk Tradition: Way of the Infinite Doors

Paladin Oath: Oath of the Frontier

Sorcerer Origin: Planeborn Origin

Path of the Channeler Some rare planar wanderers are able to channel the power of the planes directly into their own bodies. These Channelers, as they call themselves, fortify their bodies against the magics of the planes and imbue their weapons with planar energy, to more effectively fight the wide variety of creatures found in the Inner and Outer planes. Plane Charged At 3rd level, you are able to direct the raw energies of the planes to fortify your body and power your attacks. When you activate your rage, you can also become Plane Charged, gaining resistance to fire, cold, thunder, radiant, necrotic or force damage (you choose upon activation). While Plane Charged, any bludgeoning, piercing or slashing damage from your first weapon attack each turn also becomes the damage type you are resistant to. Planar Attunement At 6th level, your spirit resonates with the energies of the planes, and with those who embody them. You have advantage on Perception checks to spot elementals, fiends and celestials. Backlash At 10th level, the forces you channel lash out at your attackers. When you are hit with a melee attack while Plane Charged, your attacker takes damage of the type you are charged with equal to half of your Barbarian level. Angels and Demons At 14th level, you can direct the power of the outer planes with more finesse. As a bonus action on your turn while you are Plane Charged, you can activate one of the following effects: Grace of Heaven : Until the beginning of your next turn, if you use your Relentless Rage feature, you have advantage on the Constitution saving throw, and if you succeed on the saving throw, you regain hit points equal to half of your barbarian level.

: Until the beginning of your next turn, if you use your Relentless Rage feature, you have advantage on the Constitution saving throw, and if you succeed on the saving throw, you regain hit points equal to half of your barbarian level. Fury of Hell: Until the beginning of your next turn, if you score a critical hit, you can reroll a number of damage dice up to your Strength modifier. You must use the second result on any dice you reroll.

College of Cartographers Bards of this college are not content to repeat the stories of others. Rather, they range far and wide, looking for sights and experiences that no one else has seen, so that they can then tell of their travels. These bards are explorers and pioneers, filling in the edges of maps and drawing new ones where no maps exist. They are experts in spaces not only physical, but mental--dreamscapes are as interesting to them as landscapes, and they see the corridors of an enemy's mind as yet another space to be mapped. Magical Maps You are master of any domain you can map. At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Survival skill and with Cartographer's Tools. While you are in a location for which you have a map, or for which you are in the process of drawing a map, you can use that map as a spellcasting focus. If you do so, your spells ignore the effects of half- or three-quarters cover. You cannot apply this effect in a location that has no permanent layout (e.g. the Deep Ethereal or Astral Planes). Dead Reckoning At 3rd level, you can use your knowledge of mental space to magically interfere with an enemy's mind and body. When a creature you can see within 60 feet makes a saving throw against an effect from one of your allies, you can use your reaction to expend one of your uses of Bardic Inspiration, rolling a Bardic Inspiration die and subtracting the result from their saving throw. This feature can be used after the saving throw is rolled, but before the DM tells you whether or not it was successful. Sure Explorer At 6th level, you rarely make mistakes when traveling. You cannot become lost except through magic. In addition, when rolling on tables to determine the effects of magical travel (such as those used by teleport or while traveling in the Astral or Ethereal plane), you have advantage on those rolls. If the DM rolls for the whole party, your party also gains this benefit. Gettin' Ley-d At 14th level, you are able to track Ley Lines, the currents of natural magic that flow through the world, and can tap into them to boost your stores of magical energy. While you are using a map as a spellcasting focus, you have a pool of Ley Points equal to half of your Bard level. You can cast spells using these Ley Points, consuming Ley Points equal to the level of spell you are casting. You cannot use this feature to cast a spell of 6th level or greater. Upon finishing a long rest, your pool of Ley Points is refreshed.

Travel Domain There are many gods of civilization and gods of the wilderness, but what of the spaces between the civilized areas? Roads, trade routes and planar portals--clerics of this domain serve gods that watch over travellers on these paths, or gods of trade and commerce. Travel Domain Spells Cleric Level Spells 1st expeditious retreat, longstrider 3rd find steed, rope trick 5th thunder step, water walk 7th dimension door, freedom of movement 9th far step, passwall Bonus Proficiencies At 1st level, you gain proficiency with martial weapons, Navigator's Tools and Cartographer's Tools. Wayfarer's Blessing At 1st level, your god blesses the restless soul. If you move at least 20 feet on your turn, you can add your Wisdom modifier plus half of your Cleric level (round up) to the damage done by your first weapon attack on that turn. Channel Divinity: End to Journeys Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to steal another creature's ability to travel. As a bonus action, when you hit a creature with a weapon attack or cantrip, you reduce their speed by half, and prevent them from using any magical means of movement (e.g. teleportation, Plane Shift, etc.) until the beginning of your next turn. In addition, your speed increases by an amount equal to half of their speed until the end of this turn. Ceaseless Wanderer At 6th level, your god ensures that you are free to roam. You have advantage on saves to prevent yourself from being restrained, grappled, knocked prone, paralyzed, stunned or petrified. Divine Strike At 8th level, you gain the ability to infuse your weapon attacks with the precision of your god. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d8 magical piercing damage to the target. When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d8. We Don't Need Roads At 17th level, you can get everyone where they're going faster. As a bonus action, you can allow a number of creatures up to your Wisdom modifier (possibly including you) to teleport a distance equal to their speed. A creature that teleports using this feature cannot move until after their next turn, unless forced to. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, and regain uses after finishing a long rest.

Circle of Bubbles Druids of the planes see each plane as a distinct entity, yet also see them as inextricably interconnected--like bubbles in the greater foam of the multiverse. Where most druids will focus at most on a single plane, druids of the Circle of Bubbles see the entire multiverse as their responsibility. Circle Spells Druid Level Spells 3rd mirror image 5th blink 7th dimension door 9th wall of force Shape of the Planes At 2nd level, you can loose yourself from your current plane of existence, slipping into a space between spaces. When you use your Wild Shape feature, you can instead unbind yourself from your current plane, turning translucent for up to 10 minutes or until you use your Wild Shape again. While unbound, you have advantage on Dexterity(Stealth) checks and resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage. In addition, all damage that you do is converted to force damage, and you can see, damage and be damaged by creatures in the Ethereal Plane. Bubble Pop Numerous tiny planes overlap the larger planes that sentient beings can perceive. At 2nd level, you gain the ability to disrupt these tiny planes, causing a small magical burst in your current plane. As a bonus action, you can deal force damage equal to half of your Druid level plus your Wisdom modifier to an enemy that has a speed of 0. Bubble Bath At 6th level, you can temporarily tap into the Positive Energy Plane to aid your allies. When you restore hit points to a creature other than yourself using a Druid spell, you can also give them temporary hit points equal to half of the hit points restored. If multiple allies are healed with a single spell, this feature applies to only one of them. Temporary hit points granted by this feature last for 1 minute, and this feature does not apply to spells that also restore an ally to life. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, and regain uses when you take a long rest. Plane Hopper At 10th level, you learn to temporarily transpose yourself into planes other than the Ethereal. While you are using your Shape of the Planes feature, if you take damage, you can use your reaction to gain resistance to one damage type, other than force or psychic, until the beginning of your next turn. You must take a short or long rest before using this feature again.







Bubble Burst At 14th level, you can detonate small planes that have been disrupted. If you use your Bubble Pop feature against a creature that has already been damaged by it, the feature instead deals force damage equal to double your Druid level plus your Wisdom modifier. If this feature reduces a creature to 0 hit points, the creature explodes. If the creature survives, you must damage it with Bubble Pop before using this feature again.

Survivor Fighters that wander the planes frequently encounter situations that they are not prepared for. Lost in the Plane of Water, a trusty sword breaks. On the 217th level of the Abyss, a bow string snaps. The unexpected kills those who rely on their weapons, so some warriors of the planes train to make their own bodies the only weapons they need. These 'Survivors', as they are known, lack the precision and spiritual wisdom of Monks. Instead, they rely on momentum, near-superhuman strength, and their own cunning to carry them through situations most would call insurmountable. Bonus Proficiency When you take this Martial Archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in Athletics, and double your proficiency bonus when you make a check using the skill. In addition, you can switch your Fighting Style at this level if you so choose. If a Survivor feature requires an enemy to make a saving throw, the DC is equal to (8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier). Slugger At 3rd level, you also learn how to use the weight of your armor to power your unarmed strikes. While you are not wielding a weapon or shield in either hand, you can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strikes, and you can use your bonus action to make another unarmed attack. When making an unarmed attack roll while wearing armor, you can use a d6 if you are wearing light armor, a d8 if you are wearing medium armor, or a d10 if you are wearing heavy armor. Lastly, your unarmed strikes count as weapon attacks. Spiked Fist At 7th level, you augment your armor to give you an edge in combat. While wearing armor, your unarmed strikes can do bludgeoning, slashing or piercing damage (you choose when you make the attack). They also count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance. In addition, while an enemy is grappled by you, they take magical piercing damage equal to half of your Fighter level at the beginning of each of their turns. Survivalist At 10th level, your experience roaming the planes allows you to weather their extremes. You have advantage on checks to resist exhaustion, wearing armor does not impose disadvantage on resisting heat, and while you are wearing armor you are considered to be wearing cold weather gear. Mean Hook At 15th level, your haymaker becomes devastating. When you use your bonus action to make an extra unarmed attack and hit, you add double your Strength modifier to your damage roll. In addition, the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.



Dirty Fighting At 18th level, you throw all pretensions of honor to the wind. When you make an attack and do not have disadvantage on it, you can choose to gain disadvantage, and if it hits, you can apply one of the following effects: Eye Gouge : If the target has eyes, they must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the beginning of your next turn. If this effect is successfully applied to an enemy as many times as they have eyes, they are permanently blinded.

: If the target has eyes, they must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the beginning of your next turn. If this effect is successfully applied to an enemy as many times as they have eyes, they are permanently blinded. Ear Clap : If the target has ears, and you can reach both of them at the same time, they must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be deafened for 1 hour.

: If the target has ears, and you can reach both of them at the same time, they must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be deafened for 1 hour. Neck Chop : If the target has a head, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or else be paralyzed until the beginning of your next turn.

: If the target has a head, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or else be paralyzed until the beginning of your next turn. Cheap Shot: If you didn't roll two d20s for this attack, roll another. If either d20 rolled for this attack was a 20, you score a critical hit.

Way of the Infinite Doors Monks of this path are taught that the multiverse is not as we see it. Rather, at its most basic level, everything is composed of doors, rooms, and forces that pass through them. Planar portals are simply the most obvious expression of these doors, and planes are simply the largest rooms; in truth, all spaces within a plane, however small, are also connected through an infinite series of doors. By meditating on this theory, Monks of this path are capable of incredible feats. They see this as proof of their beliefs; whether their explanation of their skills is the correct one can't easily be determined. Two Doors, One Fist At 3rd level, you learn to send your attacks through two doors at once. Once per turn, you can spend 1 ki point to attack two different enemies within range of your unarmed strikes with a single unarmed attack. You make only one attack and damage roll. If you would have disadvantage attacking either of them you have disadvantage on this attack roll. You only make this attack roll with advantage if you would have advantage making a single attack against either target. Hastened Path At 6th level, you can skip doors on your path through life. If you are benefiting from your Unarmored Movement feature, you can teleport a distance up to the extra speed granted by Unarmored Movement as part of your movement. If you use this feature, you cannot benefit from Unarmored Movement until the beginning of your next turn. Slam the Door At 11th level, you can predict the next room your opponent will enter, and use that knowledge against them. When an attack roll is made against you, you can spend your reaction and 2 ki points to impose disadvantage on that roll. You must use this feature before the roll is made. All is Connected At 17th level, you can reach through the hidden doors of the universe to make distance meaningless. On your turn, your unarmed strikes have a range of 30 feet, but still are considered melee attacks.

Oath of the Frontier The Oath of the Frontier is take up by Paladins that value freedom and self-determination above all. They exist at the edges of civilization, in small villages and outposts where law is informal and people can live by their own judgement. Tenets of the Frontier The tenets of the Oath of the Frontier are simple, as befit their rather uncomplicated outlook on the world. Promote Freedom. Liberate the oppressed, free the bound and help those who are unable to follow the path they wish to. Enjoy Freedom. Freedom has no value unless you use it. Follow your instincts and do as you will, but do not limit the freedom of others. Protect Freedom. One man's freedom cannot come at the cost of another's. The freedom of the many outweigh the freedom of the few. False imprisonment or the framing of another are among the most heinous crimes. Murder is the ultimate crime; death is an eternal prison. Oath Spells You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed. Paladin Level Spells 3rd expeditious retreat, comprehend languages 5th invisibility, pass without trace 9th fly, nondetection 13th dimension door, freedom of movement 17th passwall, telekinesis Channel Divinity When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options. Shining Freedom. You can use your Channel Divinity to disappear in a blinding flash of light and reappear nearby. As a bonus action, you automatically end any effect causing you to be restrained or grappled, and stand up if you were knocked prone. You then teleport a distance up to your movement speed. All creatures of your choice within 30 feet of where you teleported from must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, they are blinded for 1 minute, and can make another saving throw at the end of each of their subsequent turns. Turn the Tyrants. As an action, you present your holy symbol and speak words censuring those who would impose their will on others. Each devil, celestial or Modron within 30 feet that can hear you must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is turned for 1 minute or until it takes damage. A turned creature must spend its turns trying to move as far away from you as it can, and it can't willingly move to a space within 30 feet of you. It also can't take reactions. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there's nowhere to move, the creature can use the Dodge action.



Aura of Freedom Starting at 7th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you can't be restrained, paralyzed or petrified while you are conscious. At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet. Oregon Trail At 15th level, difficult terrain no longer reduces your movement. In addition, you and creatures you are traveling with have advantage on Constitution saving throws to resist exhaustion while traveling. Divine Explorer At 20th level, as an action, you shake free of all bonds. For 1 hour, you gain a flying and swimming speed equal to double your movement speed, and can cast etherealness as a 7th level spell as a bonus action a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.