The Chanter This page contains background information on why I made the class, and the reasoning behind some of its distinctive features. Feel free to skip directly to the class itself on the next page. Context and Design Goals The driving principle of the Chanter is modularity. In language, even if you know only a few words, those words can be combined into a staggering number of different sentences. The Chanter is intended to capture that same feeling by allowing players to 'invent' new spell-like effects by logically composing the concepts that their character has mastered. Ideally, this will lead to a 'simple to learn, difficult to master' class that rewards players for looking beyond their tried and true strategies and taking full advantage of the versatility the class' core mechanics offer. This ties in to the secondary design goal, which is to create a class with a ramping profile in combat. This is a design goal for two reasons. The first is that I have a strong distaste for situations where the most appropriate strategy is "I do the same thing again". The Chanter is explicitly designed to reward players for planning ahead and setting themselves up for success in a round or two, and doing the most damage possible right now should require giving up potency in coming rounds. The second reason is that, in order to preserve the modularity and versatility central to the Chanter, I didn't want to impose strident limitations on their access to their primary mechanic (such as only being able to use it a certain number of times before resting). However, such limitations play an important role for most core classes by disincentivizing players from going nova on the first turn of every combat, and encouraging them to save their strongest abilities for the most challenging encounters. By requiring the Chanter to spend time setting themselves up before they can access their most powerful abilities, the same dynamic can be created as exists in the core classes. In those fights that are over quickly (i.e. relatively easy encounters), the Chanter will lack the time to adequately set up their best combos, and will be forced to rely on their basic abilities - analogous to a caster using only lower level spell slots. Convserely, in encounters that drag on for several turns (i.e. difficult encounters against threatening enemies), the Chanter will have the time to reach their full potential - analogous to a caster finally blowing their highest level slots. Mechanical Themes Many of the Chanter's abilities require time to fully take effect. This is realized in a number of ways. Some abilities persist for several rounds after they're used. Others receive added potency when used against enemies are are already afflicted with certain conditions. Yet others simply don't take effect until a round or two has passed. The central theme is that, for the most part, the Chanter is at its weakest on the first turn of combat. However, with each passing round, the Chanter's power compounds, as successive Chants stack on top of each other and set one another up. Simultaneously, however, the Chanter has only two abilities that are gated by resting. Other abilities can either be used freely (Chanting), are recharged through other means (the Insight abilities of the School of the Body), or can only be used once (the School of the Body's Intuition feature). The central theme is that, just as the Chanter is strongest near the end of a battle, so to is it (relatively) strongest near the end of an adventuring day, when other classes are beginning to run low on abilities. It should be a dependable class, well suited to endurance challenges. The combination of dependability and versatility has to come with a price, however, and that price is raw power. The Chanter's abilities are not competitive with high level spells. Hard crowd control is difficult to come by for the class, and its maximum damage output falls behind other casters. Furthermore, the Chanter does not have access to mechanics like unconditional healing, mobility, or summoning that other casters have access to by virtue of their limited spells per day. Inspirations The Chanter is principally inspired by the video game Transistor, the skill system of which providied the basis for the Chant mechanic. Other inspirations included the video game Magicka, whose spellcasting system featured the limitless composition of several basic elements, and the text editor Vim, which is predicated on accomplishing complex tasks by sequencing together simple, single-key commands.

The Chanter Level Proficiency Bonus Class Features Words Known Chant Length Chant Duration 1 2 Chant, Resounding Voice 4 1 1 2 2 School of Thought 4 1 1 3 2 - 5 1 1 4 2 Ability Score Improvement 5 1 1 5 3 - 5 2 2 6 3 - 6 2 2 7 3 School of Thought Feature 6 2 2 8 3 Ability Score Improvement 6 2 2 9 4 - 7 2 3 10 4 School of Thought Feature 7 2 3 11 4 - 7 3 3 12 4 Ability Score Improvement 8 3 3 13 5 Forceful Reproach 8 3 4 14 5 School of Thought Feature 8 3 4 15 5 - 9 3 4 16 5 Ability Score Improvement 9 3 4 17 6 - 9 4 5 18 6 - 10 4 5 19 6 Ability Score Improvement 10 4 5 20 6 Stream of Consciousness 10 4 5 Class Features As a chanter, you gain the following class features. Hit Points Hit Dice : 1d8 per chanter level

: 1d8 per chanter level Hit Points at 1st Level : 8 + your Constitution Modifier

: 8 + your Constitution Modifier Hit Points at Later Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution Modifier Proficiencies Armor : Light Armor

: Light Armor Weapons : Simple Weapons

: Simple Weapons Tools : None

: None Saving Throws : Wis and Int

: Wis and Int Skills: Chose two from Aracana, Insight, Intimidate, Investigation, Medicine, Perception, Religion Chant Chanters are driven by a quest to understand the world at its most fundamental level. The fruit of their labor is their most distinctive ability - Chanting. Using this ability, Chanters learn the Words which correspond to processes in the world, and can bring these proccesses forth by Chanting the Words. Chanting requires an Action, and it involves speaking one or more Words in succession (the maximum length of a Chant increases with level, as shown in the Chanter table). The first word determines the principal effect of the Chant, while the following words modify it. There is no limit on how often Words can be spoken in a day, but the same Word cannot be used two turns in a row, and can only be used once in a round. At level 1, you know 4 words. Thereafter, you learn a new word at every third Chanter level. If a word has requirements, you must meet those requirements to learn it. Unless otherwise specified, Chants last for a number of rounds indicated by the Chant Duration column on the Chanter table. If a modifier adds a status condition to creatures affected by the principal effect, that condition will last as long as the creature is subject to the principal effect (if the latter is instantaneous, then the condition will last for one round). Some modifiers ‘weaken’ the principal effect. Creatures have advantage on saves against weakened effects, and weakened effects have half the damage, duration and healing that they normally do. The Chanter’s spell save DCs are equal to 8 + their Proficiency Bonus + their Wisdom Modifier. Resounding Voice Through extensive practice, the Chanter’s voice is both tireless and commanding. When you speak, you may choose to do so at up to three times the normal volume.

Forceful Reproach Starting at 13th level, the Chanter's voice is a force of nature. Once per long rest, you may shout a word of rebuke as an action. If you do, each creature within 30 ft. of you must succeed a Strength saving throw or be pushed away until they are at least 30 ft. away, or collide with a solid object. If they collide with a solid object, they take 1d6 falling damage. Stream of Consciousness At 20th level - you may Chant up to two times as part of a Chant action, but you may not speak more words in total than your maximum Chant length. School of Thought Altho all chanters seek the truth, disputes over methodology are common. While some believe that the essential nature of the world can be discovered through contemplation and reason, others hold that any theory is useless until seen in action. This disagreement has led to the emergence of two distinct schools of thought within the chanter tradition, each of which has developed methods suited to their preferred means of discovery. School of the Body Those Chanters of a more empirical bent are often found as explorers, vagabonds and adventurers. Altho they have no formal organization, they're unified in their belief that, to really learn about something, you need to see it for yourself. Active Learner - Starting at second level, practitioners of the School of the Body gain proficiency in Athletics and Perception. Flash of Insight - Starting at second level, you gain the ability to intuitively grasp your opponent’s strategies in combat, and use that information to your advantage. At the end of a turn in which you deal damage to at least one enemy, or affect at least one enemy with your chant, you gain a stack of Insight, which lasts until expended or until the combat ends. Expending Insight requires a bonus action. Blindspot - Starting at second level, you can expend two stacks of Insight to distract and elude your opponent, gaining the benefits of the disengage action. Foresight - Starting at second level, you can expend three stacks of Insight to gain the benefits of the dodge action until the beginning of your next turn. Intuition - Starting at seventh level, practitioners of the School of the Body are able to develop intuitive understandings with only a glance. Whenever you encounter a new object, you may choose to attempt a Perception check (the DC is ordinarily 15, but may be higher for especially obscure or complex objects). On a success, you grasp the object's basic purpose, and any salient events in its recent history. Adaptability - Starting at seventh level, you can expend two stacks of Insight to bypass your enemy's natural defenses. Until the end of your turn, your attacks and Chants ignore damage resistance. Afterthought - Starting at tenth level, you can expend three stacks of Insight to Chant a single Word Truename - Starting at fourteenth level, you can expend four stacks of Insight to choose an enemy. You learn the Word that refers to them. As a principal effect, the Word has a 60 ft. range, and deals 3d10 psychic damage (increasing to 4d10 at 17th level). The opponent affected by it must succeed a Wisdom saving throw or be Frightened until the end of your next turn. It has no effect if used on someone other than the enemy you chose. As a modifier - if the word affects the enemy you chose - if it deals damage, it deals an extra two die of damage to them, and if it requires a save, that enemy has disadvantage on the save. School of the Mind Chanters with a more contemplative nature often gather together to form social networks, through which they can share their knowledge and help one another along. Altho some are content to live as academics, their thirst for knowledge and desire to meet other bright minds often inspires these Chanters to strike out into the world. Practiced Mind - Starting at second level, practitioners of the School of the Mind gain proficiency in Investigation and your choice of History, Arcana, Religion and Nature. Long-term Planning - Starting at second level, when you use a principal effect in combat, if you have already used that principal effect in this combat, you may extend the duration of the principal effect (if any) by up to one round per four Chanter levels, rounded up. Academic Roots - Starting at seventh level, your reputation of erudition and competence enables you to take advantage of the aid of other Chanters. At the DM's discretion, most large cities should have an outpost of other Chanters who will provide you with a place to sleep and access to a library, stocked with tomes on esoteric subjects. The DC to research most obscure or arcane topics is reduced by 5 in this library, to a minimum of 15. Furthermore, once per month, you may have the organization answer a single question, to the best of their ability. Essential Inquiry - Starting at seventh level, your talent for research allows you to lay bare the inner workings of the objects you encounter. By spending an hour examining an object, you can attempt an Investigate check (the DC is ordinarily 15, but may be higher for especially obscure or complicated objects). On a success, you gain a comprehensive understanding of the object's function (if this ability is used on a magic item, it identifies the item). This check cannot be retried until you gain a level. Soothing Words - Starting at tenth level, your Chant calms those who hear it. When a creature is affected by your Chant, you may choose to have it heal one point of damage for every three hit points it is missing. If you do, it cannot benefit from this feature until you complete a short rest. Home Turf - Starting at fourteenth level, you gain the ability to study the environments in which you find yourself, with the aim of discovering details which may be of aid in combat. Studying an area takes an hour. Afterwards, you gain the following benefits - You have advantage on Perception checks and ignore non-total cover while in the area.

The range of your Chants spoken in the area is increased by 50%.

You learn the Word that refers to the area. As a principal effect, the area becomes difficult terrain for a minute, and creatures within the area must succeed a Dexterity saving throw or be Restrained until the beginning of your next turn. You may choose to exempt specific creatures from the latter effect. As a modifier, a principal effect with an area instead affects the studied area. You must be within 60 ft. of the area to speak the Word. The maximum size of the area you can affect is left to the DM's discretion - however, the area should be a single, cohesive environment, and it should be feasible to exhaustively explore it within an hour. Chanter Words Pain As a principal effect - target creature within 60 ft. of you makes a Constitution saving throw. If they fail - whenever they move, they take two points of Piercing damage per five feet of movement. The damage taken per five feet of movement is increased by one at 5th, 11th and 17th levels. If a modifier would normally add damage die to Pain, it instead increases the damage taken per five feet of movement by one per die. As a modifier - creatures affected by the principal effect are wracked with pain and move at half speed. Void As a principal effect - target creature within 60 ft. makes a Constitution saving throw. If they fail, they cannot benefit from healing, and they have disadvantage on their next attack roll. As a modifier - creatures affected by the principal effect have their maximum hit points reduced to their current hit points until they complete a long rest. Vigor As a principal effect - target willing creature within 30 ft. has advantage on Athletics and Acrobatics, and takes one less damage die from falling. As a modifier - when asked to make any saving throw, creatures affected by the principal effect may choose to substitute a Strength or Dexterity saving throw instead. Resolve As a principal effect - target willing creature within 30 ft. can use their bonus action to make a single ranged attack. Additionally, they can make ranged attacks without disadvantage out to 1.5 times the normal range. As a modifier - creatures affected by the principal effect suffer no penalties for making ranged attacks against adjacent enemies, and have advantage on checks made to resist grapple or shove attempts. Fire As a principal effect - Fire roars to life in a 5x5 square within 60 ft. Creatures who enter the area of the effect or begin their turn in it must succeed a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d6 fire damage and be set on fire (creatures already on fire instead take an extra 1d6 damage). The damage taken by the initial effect is increased by 1d6 at 5th, 11th, and 17th levels. Creatures on fire take 1d6 fire damage at the beginning of each of their turns unless they succeed on a Dexterity saving throw, and a successful saving throw ends the effect. As a modifier - If the principal effect deals damage, it deals an extra die of damage, half of its damage becomes fire damage, and creatures affected by the principal effect are set on fire (creatures already on fire instead take an extra die of damage). Growth As a principal effect - target willing creature within 30 ft. gains an extra 5 ft. of reach, increases in size category, and deals increased damage die on weapon attacks (e.g. 1d10 becomes 1d12, 1d12 becomes 1d12+1). With each two rounds that elapse, the creature gains the same benefits again, to a maximum of four stacks. This effect lasts for up to four rounds with concentration. As a modifier - In two turns, the effect recurs. It affects the same creatures and areas as last time, provided that they remain legal targets for the effect. Decay As a principal effect - target creature within 30 ft. makes a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, they take 1d6 Necrotic damage, and then take 1 point of Necrotic damage for every five hitpoints they're missing. The damage taken by the initial effect is increased by 1d6 at 5th, 11th and 17th levels. As a modifier - if the principal effect deals damage - if the affected creature has less than half of their health, they take an extra two die of damage. Otherwise, they take an extra die of damage. Either way, half of the damage dealt becomes Necrotic damage.

Healing As a principal effect - chose a creature within 60 ft. that has taken damage from an attack since your last turn. At the beginning of your next turn, the damage from that attack (only) is healed. As a modifier - creatures affected by the principal effect gain temporary hit points equal to your Chanter level. Gust As a principal effect - each creature in a 15 ft. cone must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 15 ft. away from you and knocked prone. As a modifier - a principal effect that affects an area or other creatures instead affects a 15 ft. cone. Lightning As a principal effect - lightning arcs from your hands towards a creature within 120 ft. That creature must succeed a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d8 lightning damage. The damage taken is increased by 1d8 at 5th, 11th and 17th levels. As a modifier - if the principal effect has a range, that range is doubled. Falling As a principal effect - with a gesture, you hurl nearby rocks, books, or similar objects at your opponent. Make a ranged attack roll (using your Strength modifier) against a target within 60 feet. On a hit, they take Bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 plus your Strength modifier, and must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. The damage taken is increased by 1d6 at 5th, 11th, and 17th levels. As a modifier - creatures affected by the principal effect are unbalanced, and must succeed a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone the next time they take damage. Trapping As a principal effect - a 5x5 space within 60 ft. of you becomes trapped for five minutes. When a creature enters the trapped area, they trigger the trap, and all creatures within the trap’s area must succeed a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d10 piercing damage. On a successful save, they take half damage. Triggering the trap consumes the effect. The damage taken increases by 1d10 at 5th, 11th and 17th levels. You cannot trap a space that is already trapped. As a modifier - choose one: if the principal effect deals damage, it deals an extra die of damage against enemies with reduced movement speed, and the duration of their movespeed reduction is increased by 1 round, OR if the principal effect requires a save, enemies with reduced movement speed have disadvantage on that save. Hiding Requires: Level 6 As a principal effect - target creature within 60 ft. makes a Wisdom saving throw. If they fail, then you are invisible to them for the next minute. The effect ends prematurely if you Chant again, or make any attacks. As a modifier - the chant can be whispered instead of spoken aloud. Planning Requires: Level 6, School of the Mind As a principal effect - target willing creature within 30 ft. has advantage on its next saving throw. This effect lasts for up to a minute with concentration. As a modifier - you may delay the activation of the principal effect until the beginning of your second turn after this one (you must stipulate any targets or area of effect at the time of speaking). If you do, you may choose one of the following effects: if the principal effect does damage, it deals an extra two die of damage OR if the principal effect requires a save, enemies have disadvantage on that save. Community Require: level 6, School of the Mind As a principal effect - you and up to five willing creatures within 60 ft. are joined by a bond of solidarity. For the next minute, whenever one of the affected creatures would take damage from an attack, up to one of the other creatures can use their reaction to protect them. If they do, half of the damage that would have been dealt to the original creature is dealt to the second creature instead. As a modifier - a non-damaging principal effect that targets a number of creatures instead targets that number of creatures plus two, but they have advantage on the saving throw (if any). Storm Requires: Level 6, School of the Body As a principal effect - a powerful storm brews out to 15 feet around you and lingers for a minute, following your movement. Creatures other than you treat the storm as difficult terrain, and take 1d6 Bludgeoning damage on entering or beginning their turn in the storm's area. The damage taken increases by 1d6 at 5th, 11th and 17th levels. As a modifier - a principal effect that targets an area or another creature instead affects all squares adjacent to you. If you have an active Storm, it instead affects all squares within the Storm.