Aeronaut Artificer
Chronothief Artificer
Demolitionist Artificer
Disruptor Artificer
Eldritch Artificer
Forge Adept Artificer
Lightsmith Artificer
Maverick Artificer
Mekh Pilot Artificer
Puppeteer Artificer
Railgunner Artificer
Refractor Artificer
Restoration Specialist Artificer
Soulweaver Artificer
Strongarm Artificer
Transmortalist Artificer
Witchforger Artificer
Blazing Sun Barbarian
Blood Barbarian
Celestial Avatar Barbarian
Decay Barbarian
Draconic Barbarian
Fractured Barbarian
Herculean Barbarian
Hoarder Barbarian
Iceborn Barbarian
Inverted Mind Barbarian
Iron Forged Barbarian
Legacy Barbarian
Metallurgy Barbarian
Mistwood Barbarian
Mutant Barbarian
Possessed Barbarian
Reaping Mauler Barbarian
Red Reaver Barbarian
Resolved Barbarian
Samara Barbarian
Self-Sacrifice Barbarian
Skinchanger Barbarian
Soaring Soul Barbarian
Spelleater Barbarian
Steppes Archer Barbarian
Sylvan Warden Barbarian
Symbiont Barbarian
Thought's Tremor Barbarian
Titan Barbarian
Tranquility Barbarian
Twilight Rampart Barbarian
Urban Vagabond Barbarian
Virtuous Barbarian
Witch Barbarian
Adventurers Bard
Antiquity Bard
Beasts Bard
Bells Bard
Criminology Bard
Crossroads Bard
Cuisine Bard
Dance Bard
Dragonsong Bard
Fools Bard
Fortune Bard
Glory Bard
Journey Bard
Masks Bard
Mercantile Bard
Radiance Bard
Requiems Bard
Road Bard
Shadowactor Bard
Silver Preacher Bard
Sincerity Bard
Spellsong Bard
Spies Bard
Springtide Bard
"The Arts" Bard
Tragedy Bard
Truespeech Bard
Winds Bard
Anathema Cleric
Archery Cleric
Artistry Cleric
Black Powder Cleric
Chaos Cleric
Commerce Cleric
Concordance Cleric
Darkness Cleric
Dreams Cleric
Drei Kaiser Cleric
Entropy Cleric
Festus Cleric
Fire Cleric
Forms Cleric
Frost Cleric
Godreach Cleric
Hearth Cleric
Hunt Cleric
Inquisition Cleric
Justice Cleric
Luck Cleric
Madness Cleric
Missionary Cleric
Moon Cleric
Motion Cleric
Music Cleric
Open Sky Psychopomp Cleric
Pestilence Cleric
Planar Cleric
Prophecy Cleric
Rain Cleric
Sea Cleric
Seldar Cleric
Servitude Cleric
Silver Flame Exorcist Cleric
Sin Cleric
Sovereign Speaker Cleric
Transcendence Cleric
Travel Cleric
Twin Storms Cleric
Wealth Cleric
Arachnid Druid
Ancients Druid
Blighted Druid
Blood Druid
Brimstone Druid
City Druid
Divinity Druid
Dust Druid
Forged Druid
Gaia Chain Druid
Gilded Druid
Harvest Druid
Mutation Druid
New Moon Druid
Obelisk Druid
One Wood Druid
Owls Druid
Raccoon Druid
Root Druid
Ruins Druid
Sacrifice Druid
Sand Druid
Scales Druid
Sea Druid
Seafarer Druid
Sky Druid
Sower Druid
Spiritlord Druid
Storms Druid
Sun Druid
Unbroken Druid
Veins Druid
Warshaping Druid
Wild Card Druid
Anointed Warrior Fighter
Artifact Eater Fighter
Blaze Walker Fighter
Blood Archer Fighter
Blood Knight Fighter
Blue Knight Fighter
Bonebreaker Fighter
Bone Knight Fighter
Chaos Blade Fighter
Crimson Blade Fighter
Cutthroat Fighter
Despot Fighter
Devout Fighter
Dreadnaught Fighter
Elemental Knight Fighter
Falconer Fighter
Flame Dancer Fighter
Furioso Fighter
Gravity Knight Fighter
Greenblade Fighter
Heavy Bolter Fighter
Iaijutsu Practitioner Fighter
Iron Bulwark Fighter
Ki Tyrant Fighter
King's Finest Fighter
Living Crucible Fighter
Mage Hand Magus Fighter
Magical Protagonist Fighter
Marksman Fighter
Master of Hounds Fighter
Main Event Fighter
Mimic Knight Fighter
Minimus Magus Fighter
Obeah Knight Fighter
Paragon Fighter
Praetorian Fighter
Pugilist Fighter
Quartermaster Fighter
Scorn Knight (Magicutioner) Fighter
Skeletal Blade Fighter
Spiritsworn Fighter
Starfated Fighter
Steel Hawk Fighter
Sword-Dancer Fighter
Timeblade Fighter
Voidnaught Fighter
Warp Sniper Fighter
Weaponforger FIghter
Wind Knight Fighter
Witchblade Fighter
Abnegation Ascetic Monk
Amethyst Fist Monk
Angels Monk
Animal Shen Monk
Brutality Monk
Cosmic Grasp Monk
Crane Monk
Devils Monk
Eight Gates Monk
Eight Paths Monk
Eminence Monk
Enlightened Lotus Monk
Eternally Surprised Monk
Flesh Monk
Flowing River Monk
Flying Fist Monk
Four Fists Monk
Gravitation Monk
Golden Hand Monk
Hummingbird Monk
Kidney Punch Monk
Living Weapon Monk
Long Blade Monk
Moon Monk
Pain Monk
Pilgrims Monk
Pride Monk
Sacred Inks Monk
Seven Seals Monk
Specter Monk
Sphinx Monk
Still Water Monk
Street Fighting Monk
Strength Monk
Third Eye Monk
Thousand Voices Monk
Thunderclap Monk
Unerring Arrow Monk
Void Monk
Acquisitions Paladin
Autumn Paladin
Avarice Paladin
Blackguard Paladin
Blood Paladin
Blue Moon Paladin
Broken Crown Paladin
Cinders Paladin
Coven Paladin
Damned Paladin
Dawn Paladin
Debauchery Paladin
Dragonlord Paladin
Dreams Paladin
Eldritch Hunt Paladin
Fortune Paladin
Forsaker Paladin
Grace Paladin
Harvest Paladin
Heresy Paladin
Justice Paladin
Kell Knight Paladin
Might Paladin
Oathless Paladin
Pestilence Paladin
Red Knight Paladin
Sacrament Paladin
Shadows Paladin
Silence Paladin
Silver Flame Templar Paladin
Stone Sacrament Paladin
Thunder Paladin
Truth Paladin
Wands Paladin
Winter Paladin
Zeal Paladin
One of the most dangerous obsessions an artificer can pursue has always been mechanical flight. Many strive for this lofty goal, and all but the most dedicated, and often the most foolhardy, artificers fail in their pursuits. Experiments that end in disastrous explosions, catastrophic falls from the sky, and deadly malfunctions are not out of the norm for an Aeronaut perfecting their mechanical flying machine. You constantly strive to achieve the lofty goal of every Aeronaut, the creation of an arcane flying machine.
For those that pursue the magic of artifice, no area of study is too dangerous. Perhaps against their better judgment, some artificers choose to experiment with Chronomancy, the magic of time. Known as Chronothieves, these bold artificers are marked by their signature Chronometers, a wondrous object which they use to steal moments and adjust the flow of time.
Demolitionists are explosive experts who specialize in the deft application of magical incendiaries. In times of war, they are valued as bombardiers and grenadiers who can set traps, break down fortifying barriers, and dispatch large groups of enemies. In times of peace, they can clear land for the creation of mines and settlements or efficiently break down decaying structures to make room for new construction.
The Disruptor excels at controlling the battlefield, then when the moment is right, blowing it all to kingdom come. The blast disks they use to spread mayhem were developed at the start of the Last War in a collaboration between Sharni artificers and the gnomes of Torvala, but the practice quickly spread to the other nations, and within a generation, all nations employed their own Disruptors as valued combat specialists. Now that the Last War is ended, Disruptors gravitate toward pursuits where they feel valued and useful, especially adventuring and mercenary companies.
Scholars at Morgrave University also report finding evidence of ancient Ipradi stone disks that suggest a similar tradition of arcane explosives. Explorers to the Tashana Tundra of Sarlona bear tales of dwarves there with similarly advanced explosive techniques.
An Eldritch Artificer specializes in the blending of the traditional magic practiced by wizards and the arcane science of the artificer. An eldritch artificer is especially skilled in the creation and use of magical items.
The ipradi artificers of the ancient Ipradi Empire were the finest weaponsmiths in Nolis’s history. As a Forge Adept, you carry on these ancient traditions, creating mystical weapons and armor, strengthening allies on the battlefield, and bringing down enemies with weapons imbued with your own soul energy. If you’re from Iprada, you learned these techniques from the masters of your clan. Are you content to follow ancient traditions, or do you want to add your own innovations? If you’re not ipradi, did you learn these techniques from an ipradi mentor? Did you steal this knowledge? Or are you replicating these traditions on your own?
A Lightslinger learns how to harness magical, radiant energy and put it to use in their weaponry. These artificers create complex machines that channel and focus light, turning that energy into powerful beams that can sear their foes. These machines come in multiple varieties, each with a distinct purpose and common name. The aurum blaster is the generalist weapon, and also the most defensive weapon, considering its common pairing with a shield. The bolt shooter is a long range weapon, capable of outranging longbows and taking out targets with powerful, focused blasts. The lux cannon is a short ranged weapon, capable of hitting multiple foes at once.
Though lightslingers were relatively uncommon in the time of the Last War, those that did exist made versatile combatants that were an asset to any army. Capable both as front-line soldiers and back-line artillery, these artificers are well respected warriors.
In the world of artifice, the Maverick is a jack of all trades and master of none. A Maverick is always experimenting with new designs, forever abandoning yesterday’s work in pursuit of a new obsession. While often dismissed by other artificers as eccentric amateurs, in their refusal to follow established tradition, a Maverick may stumble on remarkable breakthroughs—though their idiosyncratic techniques can rarely be replicated by others.
A mekh pilot is an artificer who isn't content to stand back and let their creations have all the fun. Pilots give their all to their mekhs—each one a towering wonder of engineering, perfectly suited and tailored to its pilot—and wear them into battle like a second skin. No matter the confrontation, a pilot's mekh will stand out for its solid defence and its staggering destructive potential.
Though all artificers have their quirks, Puppeteers tend to be the strangest subset of arcane inventors. They dedicate their research and intellect towards mastery of manipulation and control of other creatures through the use of their Marionette Strings. Often found literally pulling the strings from behind the scenes, these strange artificers prefer to empower their allies rather than risk their own lives on the front lines.
A railgunner fights with a potent and lethal hand-crafted railgun, making use of rounds that can devastate single targets. While many compare their destructive abilities to those of an artillerist, railgunners prefer the precision and silence before unleashing a deadly, single shot.
The Refractor is an artificer that specialises in deflecting and redirecting elemental attacks. While any blacksmith can create armour and shields to protect against conventional weapons, a Refractor is valued for its ability to create shields that can protect against powerful spells and use its energy for their own spells. The shield is also able to concentrate a spell’s power or increase its range, giving more flexibility in combat.
Life tends to manifest into various and mysterious forms. Ever since the moment of Creation, many are those have attempted to comprehend its essence and manipulate the invigorating force that breathes life into the countless beings who tread upon the worlds. Some seek to do so through the study of the arcane arts. Others, through the advancement of science and technology. In some rare occasion, exceptionally bright individuals prove themselves industrious enough to apply both of these methodologies into practical use. Accomplished arcanists as well as trained physicians, these brilliant artificers deploy their magically enhanced, mechanical contraptions in order to cure the sick, heal the wounded and restore life wherein it has been lost.
As front line medics, they have invented ways to not only save lives, but also to protect themselves from harm. Their research is never ending, as they study the mortal biology and strive to discover new ways through which it can be enhanced and preserved.
While some who suffer death move on peacefully to the afterlife, others claw at anything they can grasp in order to remain alive. As you’ve gone through such an experience, you’ve grasped the strands of fate itself, made of pure ether. You’ve learned how to weave the soul itself, and your determination has bound you back to your body. Now, you can grasp what awaits you after your death, as you keep puppeteering your long-dead body.
As many wars raged, medical tents across Xenara were flooded with people who’d lost arms and legs. Ancient clans and neo-mechanics discovered that combining healing with cutting edge artifice allowed them to replace missing limbs with artificial constructions of wood and metal. Many were grateful for this restored functionality, but a few saw potential for more. “Strongarms” improved drastically on the base design, and quickly came to inspire fear and awe with their mechanically enhanced limbs, capable of crushing bone and bending metal. With the wars over, many Strongarms hide what they are in public, their enhancements a reminder of the war most people would rather forget. Others put their strength to use in fighting pits and as enforcers. Almost all continue to tinker, ever improving on the merger of man and machine.
All artificers design and create new technologies, but few would go so far as to integrate experimental inventions into their own bodies. The Transmortalists would and do. These artificers craft modular pieces of technology that can be installed directly into their body, allowing them to push beyond their normal limitations. Part magical machinery, part humanoid, the Transmortalist doesn’t just innovate on life changing technology, they also raise the question: at what point are they more magical machinery than mortal?
In times of peace and war alike, well-made weapons are needed to venture into the unknown, defend the helpless, and survive the world's dangers. Witchforgers are artificers who dedicate themselves wholly to the creation of special magic weapons called “witchblades”. Unlike their more defensive Battle Smith peers, Witchforgers focus almost entirely on destructive force, aiming to end an encounter before any real damage can be done
There are many cultures, particularly in the harsh outlands that many barbarians call home, that revere the power of the sun. Barbarians who follow the Path of the Blazing Sun take this reverence a step further, and learn to how to transform and harness this power. These barbarians transform their rage into a dazzling display of magic, where powerful flames leap from their weapons and their movement becomes impossible to track as they disappear in a flash of light only to reappear moments later, ready to strike down their foes with radiant energy.
Barbarians who draw on the power of the sun are versatile fighters, capable of clearing groups of enemies with ease. In a display of their reverence, these barbarians typically adorn themselves with tattoos and markings that represent the sun, and often adorn their clothing with these symbols as well.
The Path of Blood teaches a barbarian to harness the innate power of blood, the essential conduit of life-force in mortal creatures. Such barbarians use their own blood, as well as the blood of their foes, to channel incredible destructive power. Deities and societies who partake in blood sacrifices often attract these barbarians.
Some barbarians revere the celestial spirits that roam the lands and skies, and seek them out to be their guides and personal connection to the divine. A few barbarian clans have pre-established connections to celestial spirits, and for those clans taking this path is merely proving yourself worthy of that creature’s power. For many barbarians, however, taking this path requires them to search far and wide for a celestial creature willing to let them become an avatar.
Most any celestial creature is capable of granting a barbarian this path. The most common among these are unicorns, couatls, and low-ranking angels, who accept righteous barbarians as their avatars—extensions of their power that help them carry out their divine will. For some barbarians that take this path, their rage becomes reminiscent of divine possession—in rage, their personality can take on some of the attributes of their celestial guide’s personality.
A barbarians rage can manifest itself in many ways. Some shine with radiant energy and have the Gods on their sides while others find bestial strength. A Path of Decay barbarian has instead decided to manifest their body and play with the line between life and death. When they rage, their bodies become undead and unfeeling as they tear their foes down.
One of the most powerful, ancient and primal powers in the realms is that of the dragons. Barbarians who follow the Path of the Draconic have a spark of draconic energy in their souls, or have been deeply affected by draconic magic. Channeling the destructive might of the great winged behemoths, these warriors are a fearsome force to be reckoned with.
Barbarians are defined by their rage, channeling emotion to unleash brief but potent destruction on their enemies. A rare few study esoteric psychological techniques that split their rage off from the rest of their psyche, dividing their identity into two parts: ego and id. When their ego is in control, the Fractured—as these barbarians are known—are capable of a degree of self-control and cunning few other barbarians are. When they allow their id to take control, their countenance turns monstrous and their bodies swell with the power of rage made physically manifest.
Some individuals are born with seemingly impossible strength, exhibiting rippling muscles even before they learn to speak or walk. Such men and women quickly learn that every good thing in this world may be obtained through the exercise of overwhelming might. Others may scorn them and call them “barbaric,” but what are words but useless noise to be choked out of the speaker’s windpipe?
As one such individual, you know that strength is what determines one’s worth in the world: strength to crush your enemies—and to impress your allies. You savor the opportunity to show off your great strength, whether it be in battle or in friendly competition. Your incredible strength allows you to accomplish Herculean feats that will leave your foes wailing in anguish.
There is no such thing as ‘too much’ for those on the Path of the Hoarder. Driven by lust for treasure and bludgeoning those standing in their way, those that follow this path seek treasure for their greedy selves. With access to the hoard of the Greatwyrm of Avarice, those that follow this path have access to a handful of powerful relics, as long as they keep filling the troves with more treasure.
Those who walk the Path of the Hoarder do not openly represent their devotion in their day-to-day lives, but erupt into zealous greed when their rage is unleashed. No coin or gem is safe within the view of the frothing hoarder.
The vast tundras of the Icefell are a sprawl of the harshest environments on Runeterraa. Tribes have had to carve their culture into the ice itself, and each winter is a test of survival and cunning. Resources are scarce, and so competition among them is brutal. Raiders and warriors thrive in the harsh lands, often allying themselves with tribes but sometimes setting off on their own to challenge the rugged land or the land beyond.
Not all barbarians are simply a skin bag of muscles swinging a sharpened piece of metal. A select few are able to channel the rage inside them to such a fine-tuned degree that they can actually augment their mental abilities, instead of their physical ones.
Barbarians who follow the Path of the Iron Forged channel their rage into strange mechanical devices fused into their flesh. An Iron Forged’s primal fury fuels these apparatus, powering their extraordinary functions that would otherwise remain inactive within the inert metal embedded in their bodies. Depending on how a barbarian came to walk the Path of the Iron Forged, they may have started down their path purposefully or accidentally— possibly with no choice in the matter.
All barbarians carry a part of their forebears with them, be it blood, teachings, or ideals. However, some people revel in their heritage, intent on carrying their ancestors’ might through the generations. These barbarians speak of the dead as close companions whose trust must be earned and maintained. They speak of each victory and defeat as another sunrise, to be expected and celebrated. When such barbarians wage war, their own experiences and those of their ancestors fill them with skill, resilience, and power far beyond their ordinary capabilities.
Though many barbarian communities, from vast cities to wandering tribes, may speak of ancestry and heritage, those who walk the path of legacy are shaped by it, and may shape it in return. A forebear, ancestor, or lineage may come from a common familial relation, a bond, an ideal, or even a watchful spirit. Some who choose this path may have no history at all, save for the one they forge themselves.
Accustomed to harsh existence in wars and the essence of metal, these barbarians adapted to become incredibly tough warriors, capable of living off of metal themselves. In fact, they are so in touch with the strange nature of metal used in wars that their rage transforms them into a reflection of the clang of steel in times of battle.
The first barbarians that traveled the path of mistwood were elves who expanded upon their natural gifts to become masters of the forests. Over time, members of other races who saw the need to protect and cherish the green places of the world joined and learned from them. Often these warriors haunt the woods alone, only seen when called to action by something that would despoil their home.
Through the study of alchemy and dark transmutation magic some reclusive warriors have discovered a way to chemically alter their physical forms. By combining powerful alchemical reagents and the pure unbridled energy of their rage, they can trigger massive physiological changes within themselves. Barbarians who follow this Path of the Mutant are on a quest to evolve their bodies into the ultimate killing machine.
Not every demon that manages to possess a mortal is without restraint. Occasionally, a demon will find its new host to be exceptionally useful, offering it unholy strength in exchange for harboring the evil spirit. From this union, barbarians of the Path of the Possessed are made, cursed warriors whose bodies and minds are transformed for battle.
Such a barbarian is free to revel in their new power, but as always there is a cost. A demonic spirit may desire to further its goals through the use of its new flesh carriage, or simply seek the acquisition of another corrupted soul to fight on the side of the Abyss in the Blood War.
Barbarians that follow the path of the Reaping Mauler excel at unarmed combat, especially grappling. They have a dozen different Brawling Mottos to choose from to customize their fighting styles, and they can even invest their Ability Score Improvements into learning more of them!
The Path of the Red Reaver is a warrior’s hunt for meaning in a life borne of suffering and violence, not some ritualistic process for raiding cannibals as inexperienced adventurers might have you believe. The barbarians that follow this path fuel their rage with this pursuit of purpose. For those that live long enough, their discipline becomes almost monk-like in its meditation, chasing their sense of self through the arteries of those they deem worthy in battle.
As wizards live to slake their thirst for knowledge, barbarians who follow the Path of Red Reaver are usually drawn to the greatest challenge in the field, not for bragging rights, or even to turn the tide of battle, but to further discern their place in the veins of their world.
Throughout history, barbarians and wild warriors have fought among themselves for territory, renown, treasure, or pride. Of these warriors, there are some who possess a mettle beyond that of any normal warrior. They will fight on, even when others would run or buckle under the pain in their place. To them, the only time to give up is never.
Barbarians who follow the Path of the Samara never have a destination in mind, instead preferring to wander, led only by spirits of the wind and sky. In battle, a strong wind surrounds the barbarian, guiding each of their steps and transforming them into a whirlwind of steel and fury.
To a samara, rage and calm are two sides of the same coin, and neither can exist without the other. Rarely does a samara search for a fight, but if one finds them, they're often quick to remind their opponents just how rapidly a gentle breeze can transform into a fearsome hurricane.
Life is an ancient power. Those who preserve it are called healers, and those who share it are the barbarians on the Path of Self-Sacrifice. When their allies get hurt in their presence, these barbarians focus their inner rage on the forces of vitality and learn to recover their health through their emotions. Their main purpose is to preserve life and to share it with others. They keep smiling even after they get hurt, so long as they can keep their friends from harm.
You belong to an ancient line of barbarians who practice sacred hunts and rituals to adopt the shape of beasts. When you begin this path, you incorporate elements of the beasts you have hunted into your physical form when you rage. As you continue on the path, you learn to slip from your skin to that of a beast and grow to the size of nature’s fiercest predators when you rage.
The Path of the Soaring Soul calls to barbarians who place deep trust in their weapons. When you take exceptional care of your weapons, you will nd your weapons will also take exceptional care of you. As your bond deepens, you and your weapon will zip across the battlefield, bringing the hurt from every angle.
Some barbarians, mainly those who live under the oppression of magic users, have learned to use sheer power to overcome magic. These individuals, called Spelleaters by the ancient tribes, are able to withstand spells of all sorts by tensing their muscles to block magical energies from affecting them physically. Some spelleaters can even utilize these energies to vitalize their bodies and benefit from them instead of being harmed by their baleful effects.
Steppes warriors have learned to use the horse as a deadly weapon in war, riding out to meet their enemies and engage them from afar on the wide, open grasslands. These mounts are not merely trained animals, they are friends in peace and allies in war. Life on the steppes is one of constant movement, tearing down and rebuilding to move with herds or outrun winter storms. Barbarians on the Path of the Steppes Archer are the elite warriors of their tribe, dedicating themselves to an often-lonely existence as hunter, scout, and raider. In combat they are able to channel their rage differently than other primal warriors, enhancing their senses and skills with bows. Accomplished steppes archers are said to share their supernatural strength and fortitude with their trusted mounts.
Some barbarians are not marked by their loyalty to kin or tribe but by their loyalty to land and beast. These barbarians take up the role of stewards and protectors of the natural world, fighting against those who would despoil it. Their admiration and emulation of the mysteries of nature allow them the ability to transform their rage into quietude and cast druidic spells.
The symbionts are strange, mimic-like entitites. Many scholars believe they came from the Far Realm but they do not know why. Alone, they are merely specks, barely noticeable for most creatures. However, when they find a worthy host, the symbionts unleash their true and terrifying potential.
Barbarians of the Path of the Symbiont draw their power from connecting with those alien creatures. When entering a rage, the symbiont takes over and turns the host into a violent, bloodthirsty monster, wielding the symbiont as a tangible weapon with deadl preciesion. The symbiont hungers, and its primal fury affects its host. A symbiont may not always be evil, but with a need to feed and an appetite for conflict, a benign host is rare to find, much less a symbiont.
Not many barbarians walk the Path of Thought’s Tremor. Most of their peers find rage by abandoning their grip on reality as their emotions explode. However, a barbarian on this path turns their rage inward, as a tempering force. Through it, they enter a state of heightened awareness and intense focus. Every hammering heartbeat sends a rippling wave, giving them a precise path to destroy their enemy.
Some barbarians draw their rage from their ancestry. Those who walk the Path of the Titan are able to fuel their rage with the giant blood that flows in their veins. While some Titanic warriors are direct descendants of giants, some are unaware of their heritage until it manifests with their rage. Unusually tall or strong for their race, mortals with giant blood in their veins are fairly obvious once you know what to look for.
Barbarians who follow the Path of Tranquility embrace a zen philosophy of restraint and moderation, much in contrast with their furious brethren. Embraced by the fey and called “the serene,” these barbarians are calm, tactical warriors who issue swift retaliation instead of violent assaults. At their pinnacle, the serene are one with nature and with themselves, entering flow states at will to dispatch their foes with dispassionate precision.
These warriors are blessed by the twilight, their rage imbues them with light over which they have full control and use these powers to control the flow of battle, separating their foes, and protecting their friends. A beacon in the darkness of the world, many aspire to obtain their favor.
There are bruisers who dwell in cities who command respect among the common folk and other warriors alike. Their words respected, their deeds valued, their stern demeanor feared. They roam the streets and right wrongs, their own way. They know the code and creed of their city, just as they wrote it themselves. An urban vagabond is a charismatic drifter, who has his own understanding of justice and injustice, law and fear in society. They are upheld by the people and they shine where the local guards fail to do so. Their shouts in combat inspire their allies, and dissolve the fighting spirit of their adversaries. They use their natural charisma in order to taunt and psychologically disarm enemies.
When the most virtuous of all are in the midst of a lifechanging near-death experience, they are presented with an offer by the forces of good; they can go to heaven, or they can start a new life with the sole purpose of protecting the innocent. The barbarians walking the Path of the Virtuous are those who choose the latter.
Barbarians fill a strange role in the ways of the witch community. Instead of seeking renowned mentors, the first of them took their learnings and went deep into the wilds in search of ancient witchcraft. Some are taught by old spirits, others by hags, and fewer still by the voices of the woods themselves. They grow an internal force of explosive witchcraft, and often roam the world to release their magic on whatever they see fit.
Bards from the College of Adventurers learn from heroes of old and stories of legend. Bards are jacks of all trades, and for the College of Adventurers this statement rings ever true. They combine all the useful skills of their companions into one, allowing them to be versatile and supportive. While not having a direct goal, many adventurer-studying bards live to tell tales of other heroes or seek to create their own. Stories of heroic deeds, tales of cunning, magical anomalies, or godly might fuel the life-blood of these bards.
For bards of the College of Antiquity, magic and time are inextricably tied. They learn that age and degradation are features to be studied, not flaws to be scorned. In rust and cracked leather, in fissures and dust, in mold and rot, lie the secrets of time itself, and energy stored from eons past. These bards study ancient items to draw from the energy accumulated within them over time, to make their magics even more potent.
Far from a traditional college, bards of the College of Beasts have a powerful, inherent bond to the natural world. Through song or personality, you befriend and charm all kinds of animals, easily making lifelong companions amongst the wild lands of the world.
Many bards discover on their own that they have a natural aptitude for these abilities, though sometimes the arts employed by this college are formally taught. Wood elves, forest gnomes, and circles of druids are especially keen to pass on knowledge of the College of Beasts, as such bards make stalwart allies in defending the natural order.
Bards of the College of Bells obsessively study musical theory to find new ways to harness the sonic phenomena of the universe. These bards keep their audiences captivated with magical compositions that manipulate emotion, de-escalating worry or ramping up anxiety as suits their purposes.
Bards from this college are often regarded as gloomy and cerebral compared to their bardic peers. Even the college name is a somber reference to the tolling bells that mark moments of transition, signaling the passing hours and fleeting moments of life.
Bards pick up all sorts of information as they travel the land. Some bards focus on a certain type of information, like epic poetry, love ballads, or bawdy drinking songs. Others, however, turn to the shadowy occupation of criminology. These bards use their knack for gathering information to learn about criminals and vigilantes, their tactics, and their weaknesses. Some criminologists work with agents of the law to catch criminals, but shadier members of this college use their dark knowledge to emulate the malefactors they have studied for so long.
While most bards are naturally skilled musicians, singers, or storytellers, some gain their talent through more nefarious means. Known informally as the College of the Crossroads, this organization is named for the traditional location where such mortal bargains are made. An agreement with a devil, demon, or other denizen of the lower planes is but the start of such a bard's quest for personal power and fame.
Food: it fuels thought, builds bones, and delights the senses. But more than that, breaking bread with a foe can be the beginning of a lasting peace, sculptures of sugar glass can inspire architects to design soaring cities, and the fusion of disparate culinary traditions can tie cultures together. Though we see food every day, it is truly the epitome of inspiration.
Bards from the College of Cuisine are as prized in the kitchens of nobles as in the mess halls of the rank and file. While peace treaties might be signed over hoisin-glazed duck with sides of spiced jackfruit and crispy shallots, it is the well-fed army that will win the war on a hearty oat and raisin porridge. Such bards never struggle to find employment; they travel where their work is appreciated, be their diners highborn or down-to-earth.
Bards of the College of Dance tell stories and perform music without making a sound, choosing to instead move with feylike grace and magic to evade harm and inspire others. These dances originate from the Festerwood, whose radiant spores and light made for miraculous performances and deadly hazards. These bards can be found anywhere from the local tavern to the highest levels of theater moving crowds to tears as quickly as rebellion. At every turn, they inspire others to be brave, move, and join in.
The bards of the College of Dragonsong are sometimes taught the ancient art by dragons themselves, though the secrets of dragonsong are more often passed by bards who already know it. Many of the members of this college end up entertaining a dragon as their audience; bronze and copper dragons especially love the music and company.
Depending on the society, bards who are members of this college are regarded with either awe or fear. Tribes in particular seem to hold them in high esteem, while many settlements will hardly listen to a single tune from them. Both perspectives are fair, as a bard of the College of Dragonsong could go either way. A villainous bard has the potential to rule through oppression and fear, emulating a draconic tyrant, while a heroic bard has the potential to protect with the determination of a benevolent metallic dragon.
Bards who join the College of Fools use crude stories, daring acrobatics, and cutting jokes to entertain audiences, ranging from the crowds in a tavern to the nobles of a royal court. Where other bards seek out forgotten lore or tales of epic bravery, Fools ferret out embarrassing and hilarious stories of all kinds. Whether telling the tale of a stable hand’s affair with a duchess or a mocking satire of a paladin’s innocence, a Fool never lets social decorum get in the way of truth.
Fools adventure to undermine the plans of the powerful and arrogant. Among bards, Fools are unmatched acrobats, and their ability to tumble, dodge, leap, and climb makes them slippery opponents in battle.
Bards of the College of Fortune prefer games with high stakes to soaring songs. These bards, sometimes called card sharks or high rollers, entertain with their rarely surpassed talent for games of skill and chance. Inside the casino or out, these bards push their luck to the breaking point and then a bit further.
Bards in this college have a reputation as instigators that isn’t entirely justified. High rollers don’t go looking for trouble, they just have a habit of provoking fellow party members into taking long shots that don’t always pan out. Despite that, no bard has a better chance of helping their companions clutch victory from the jaws of defeat than a card shark. The smart bet is always on the bard of the College of Fortune.
Bards are known for telling the tales and ballads that laud the heroic action of others. While most are satisfied with this role, others strive to be the hero themselves. Many brave bards have joined the College of Glory for such a reason.
Valuing bravery and decisive action above all, members of the College of Glory strive to emulate the heroes of legend. Augmented by their magic, Glory bards cultivate larger than life persona and hone their physical abilities to match.
Many bards learn of the arcane arts and the skills of the world from books or teachers, but some learn their way about the world by making their way about the world, embarking on journeys like the heroes they tell tales of.
Bards in the College of Masks (the masters of masks, as they have come to be called) are virtuoso performers who practice becoming the figure they portray, rather than merely imitating them. Bards who join in this college come to believe that all life is performed, rather than lived, and that to become an actor in this Great Play requires that one merely put on the metaphorical mask of another. To engage in this great stage drama, a master of masks carries with him a number of masks, each a potent magical artifact of a specific archetypal character or creature to allow them to better enter those roles.
Angel.
An alluring, serene face gazes out of this mask of flawless alabaster. When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend a use of your Bardic Inspiration to deal additional radiant damage to the target equal to the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die plus your Charisma modifier.
Archmage.
This clay mask bears exaggerated wrinkles and the scowl of a cantankerous old man. You know the fire bolt cantrip, as well as the spells shown on the table below. As you gain higher levels in this class, you know additional spells while wearing the mask. These spells count as bard spells for you, but don’t count against the total number of spells you know.
Bard Level - Spells
3rd - gust of wind, scorching ray
5th - lightning bolt, protection from energy
7th - dimension door, ice storm
9th - scrying, wall of stone
Devil.
This obsidian mask grins with the fangs and horns of a handsome fiend. As a reaction, when you take damage from a creature you can see within 5 feet of you, you can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to deal fire damage equal to two rolls of your Bardic Inspiration die to the creature.
Dragon.
Painted cloth forms the scales, horns, eyes, flowing whiskers, and teeth of a multihued dragon’s head. While you wear this mask, you can use your action and expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to exhale destructive energy. Each creature in a 15-foot cone must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC. A creature takes fire damage equal to three rolls of your Bardic Inspiration die on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Faceless.
Two perfectly round eyeholes stare out of this otherwise featureless porcelain mask. While you wear this mask, you can cast the spell disguise self without expending a spell slot or material components.
Fool.
This porcelain mask of a grinning jester is adorned with bells, ribbons, and vibrant checkerboard paints. While you wear this mask, your walking speed increases by 10 feet. Additionally, you can take the Disengage action as a bonus action.
Improvement. Beginning at 6th level, you can take the Dash action as a bonus action.
Gladiator.
This grim metal helm, pockmarked and scratched, conceals the entire face. While you wear this mask, you have proficiency with martial weapons and shields.
Improvement. Beginning at 6th level, you can add your Charisma modifier to your melee weapon damage rolls.
High Priest.
In lieu of a face, this bronze mask bears the image of a holy symbol, with the barest of slits to see out of. You know the sacred flame cantrip, as well as the spells shown on the table below. As you gain higher levels in this class, you know additional spells while wearing the mask. These spells count as bard spells for you, but don’t count against the total number of spells you know.
Bard Level - Spells
3rd - aid, lesser restoration
5th - mass healing word, tongues
7th - banishment, death ward
9th - greater restoration, mass cure wounds
Lord.
This gleaming silver mask bears a golden, jeweled diadem instead of eyes. When a creature rolls one of your Bardic Inspiration dice and rolls a 1 while you wear this mask, it can reroll the die and must use the new roll.
Improvement. Starting at 6th level, the creature can reroll the Bardic Inspiration die when it rolls a 1 or 2, and must use the new roll.
Spirit.
This white fabric mask conceals the face as a funeral shroud, with two gold coins sewn over the eyes. You become invisible if you do not speak, move, or take any actions for 1 minute. You remain invisible for up to 10 minutes or until you remove this mask, take damage, make an attack, or cast a spell. While invisible, you can become half visible as a ghostly image or return to invisibility as a bonus action.
Improvement. Starting at 6th level, while invisible, you levitate an inch above the ground, allowing you to ignore difficult terrain and make no noise while moving.
Bards of the College of Mercantile are well versed in the artistry of cutting deals and enemies alike in order to come out ahead. Talented merchants, smugglers, and tradesmen alike all learn from this college in some form or another, using both silvered words and sharp cunning to inspire their allies and subvert competition. These calculated risk-takers travel the world to make their mark—and their fortune—by navigating treacherous landscapes, economies, and people. With even just a copper to their name, these bards are always worth their weight in gold.
Worship takes on many forms across the multiverse; the quiet contemplation of the monastic hermit, the insightful guidance of the temple priest, the resolute dedication of the faith-filled zealot, and the impassioned preacher spreading the tenants of their faith across the land with word and song.
Radiance bards are devout preachers of the divine, and all their performances sing the praise of their deity. For good or ill, these bards use the power of their voice to further the will of their god, and inspire devotion in their mortal followers.
Performing a macabre melody filled with grief-stricken chords with a mournful refrain, the funerary songs of the College of Requiems stir the very bones of the dead. The Requiem bard weaves necromantic magic into their repertoire to control and empower a host of undead minions.
Performing a macabre melody filled with grief-stricken chords with a mournful refrain, the funerary songs of the College of Requiems stir the very bones of the dead. Not an officially recognized college, the College of the Road represents the personal and eclectic sets of skills, knowledge, and techniques a wandering bard picks up along their journey. As inveterate jacks-of-all-trades, bards possess a variety of aptitudes in combat, magecraft, and general know-how, making them particularly well suited to learning a variety of different skills. It often happens that while traveling, a bard winds up sharing their campfire with a motley assortment of wandering adventurers who may impart valuable lessons in exchange for a lively song or a well-told tale. Compared to students of other Bard Colleges, a special kind of sensibility is important for the College of the Road. How effectively a bard of this College can apply what they have learned depends on their understanding and insight. The College of the Road is sometimes a harsh teacher, but bards who follow this path often find themselves rewarded with a diverse array of useful tricks and tactics. Those who underestimate a bard from the College of the Road soon find that these “graduates” are full of surprises.
A majestic festival scene in the gold-blue nights of Qilar, and at the heart of the field, crowds gather to see their favorite show: the art of shadowacting. A candle lights up a beige canvas scene, elaborate puppets and gestures cast shadows, of human and beast, of city and the wild. The master of these shadowy figures, the bard, plays with them, twists and turns their blackened image, telling fascinating tales of joy and deceit, captivating hundreds gathered around. One time, my curiosity got the better of me. I snuck up to the backstage to see what was happening there. No one believed me when I told this story but I swear, I saw no one moving the puppets... Well, no puppets at all. Only a candle shining bright - with shadows cast, from the shimmering flames themselves. My eyes locked with the flame and smoke dancing on top of the candle - shimmering sparks and embers, and I lost touch with reality. Just before I was about to fall headfirst from the platform, I saw the shadow actress, emerging from the shadows in the canvas itself to catch me. She was such a lovely lady…
Members of the College of the Silver Preachers belong most often to the Order of Friars. Silver Preachers are itinerant, and motivate not only through hymns and choir music but also speeches, which generate the same mystical effects of their songs. Some Silver Friars persuaded many (one way or the other) during the lycanthropic purge, and some from this school have often served as lawyers or judges of the Church, settling religious-legal disputes.
Bards of the College of Sincerity know it is easier for someone to get what they want when they mask their true intentions behind a pleasant façade. These minstrels gain a devoted following and rarely lack for company. Some of their devotees go so far as to put themselves at the service of the bard they admire. Though members of the college can be found as traveling minstrels and adventuring troubadours, they gravitate to large urban areas where their silver tongues and mind-bending performances have the greatest influence. Devious rulers sometimes seek out members of the college as counsellors, but the rulers must be wary lest they become a mere pawn of their new aide.
The elves—high elves particularly—claim to understand the Weave more than any other. While all bards are able to pull on the Weave’s threads as artfully as a harp’s strings, the College of Spellsong has turned millenia of knowledge into a true mastery of the Weave. Both high and wood elves pursue the college, but each in their own way. High elves often study the Art as deeply as they do the masterpieces of virtuosos, finding similarities between the two. Wood elves, on the other hand, are drawn toward more primal dancing and singing, urging the Weave to dance for them as another member of their audience.
Bards within the College of Spellsong are able to manipulate magical energies around them, drawing on an unprecedented library of spells. Master spellsingers are able to disrupt insidious charms with ease and empower others’ use of the Weave.
Nolis is a place ravaged by recent conflict, and an uneasy peace holds over the land in a cold war. No one knows who or what caused the Mourning, so no country is willing to risk making the first move... at least not overtly. Thus, bards of the College of Spies have honed the art of diplomacy and cunning, and were invaluable during the Last War as secret agents and information gatherers.
The Dark Lanterns of Sharn were the first to hone the bard's social graces to a keen dagger. By the time the Last War broke out, espionage was a widespread tradition across the original Five Nations. The Dark Lanterns have traditionally maintained the highest numbers of this college, but the Royal Eyes of Orm and the remains of the Fifth Crown of Cyre located in Adassa are just as proactive in recruitment as their metropolitan counterparts. Houses Phiarlan and Thuranni also have strong traditions of Spy bards.
From the desolation of winter comes the rebirth of spring. The smell of rain and earth hanging in the air, the first bloom of green after the silent pale of winter, and the rushing waters of snowmelt. These tides of change teach bards to inspire and refresh their allies like rain, and wield power that crashes upon their foes like a sudden squall.
Like the spring from which they blossom, Bards of the College of Springtide learn of endings and renewal, for no growth can come from a dead and overgrown place. But as their powers of rejuvenation swell, so too does their talent for overwhelming force, like unstoppable floods brought by spring storms.
Those who have been burned by a bard of “the arts” know exactly what sort of art is conveyed by the name: the art of the swindle, the con, and the huckster.
Con artistry isn’t a profession all riverfolk claim, but the ones who do are very good at it. Halflings are an underestimated lot, and their happy-go-lucky dispositions, size, and apparent harmlessness makes them easy to trust. These hucksters take advantage of these traits to humble the big folk. The more noble ones among them are inclined to target haughty, greedy people who make life difficult for the lower classes, taking them down a few pegs to teach a lesson. Other hucksters, however, are more concerned with making money, and the only line they won’t cross is swindling their own kin—if even that.
In seedy riverside taverns, on rollicking boat parties, or off in dens and bazaars of dubious repute, so often are bards of this college found. When one “artist” recognizes another, they are quick to swap tales and tricks and the names of previous marks and potential dupes they haven’t gotten to yet. Unless of course the bards in question have made rivals of each other by lingering too long in a similar trade in the same place: then it can become a feud where one attempts to discredit the other before they both are found out.
Not all grand stories conclude in triumphant victory. Many tales end with death and despair, and bards of the College of Tragedy know that sorrow and pathos are emotions just as potent as joy and delight. These bards specialize in the power of tragic storytelling, weaving words and spells together to dramatic and devastating effect.
Legends once written in ancient decayed forgotten tomes speak of a language used by the gods themselves in order to describe and create the universe. When a word is uttered in that true, archaic speech one taps into the power of creation itself, for the ability to describe something is the ability to define it.
While a creature speaking this language could reorder the universe in accordance with the articulated words, no mortal can do so, save perhaps for the scholars of the college of truespeech. While “speaking” can be a great overstatement, those who belong to the college dedicate their lives into discovering and replicating tiny fragments of this forsaken language, along with the eloquence to mimic the proper sounds and rhythms needed to utter them. Though this allows them to briefly touch upon the power of truespeech, the toll it exacts from their mortal bodies is immense.
Often called Windsingers, the Bards of the College of Winds are able to summon the winds through their arts. Traveling wherever the wind takes them, they learn how to listen to the voice of air, which gives them access to secrets from all over the world. These bards are usually inspired by one particular wind, that they call their Guiding Wind. Each wind gives different powers and has a unique personality, so it’s not unusual for such bards to split into different groups. However, like the wind they call with their music, these bards are unpredictable vagabonds, and they don’t like rules and bonds, so these groups never last for long
The Anathema domain isn’t part of any deity’s portfolio. Rather, it is the purview of those who become subjects of a deity’s contempt. Clerics who turn to this domain are just as capable of weaving magical wonders as their de- vout peers, but rather than doing so by divine grace, their rites harness the ire of gods and channel it into bouts of transient power.
Clerics who master these anathematic rites are called the scorned. While their relationship with their deities is antagonistic and gods-fearing societies shun them, there’s nothing inherently evil about the scorned’s practices.
Some join their ranks voluntarily, believing it their duty to stand in opposition to gods who threaten the cosmological order. These clerics form secret orders dedicated to ensuring that those gods who lie chained, slumbering, dead, or forgotten remain that way.
The god known as Steelheart embody precision, perseverance, self reliance, and patience. You follow his ways of the bow as it is an extension of one's self. Thus, practicing with bows becomes both a physical and spiritual endeavor. Whether it be for hunting, survival, war, or sportsmanship, archery is a divine art that requires your spirit's undivided focus. Followers of Steelheart study and practice with bows daily all with the purpose of doing pure good with it.
Gods of artistry—such as Saraswati, and Apollo— promote creativity and imagination above all. These gods value all of the arts, including music, painting, sculpting, and other skilled crafts, though they often specialize in one craft above the others. Clerics of a god of artistry are creative souls infused with the desire to create and share their emotions with others, whether through song, artwork, or other means.
The Black Powder domain focuses on the explosive, unpredictable, and destructive capacity of black powder. Deities with a vested interest in alchemy or deities who revel in destruction can claim influence over this domain. Deities of destruction need not be evil; such gods may represent natural chaos and destruction, reveling just as much in the unpredictable destructive capacity of black powder as in the chaotic destruction wrought by a volcanic eruption. In areas where warfare involves alchemical weapons or firearms, gods of war might also claim influence over this domain.
Only worshiped by the most unhinged devotees, or believers in pure anarchy, gods (and other entities) of Chaos, care little for the wellbeing of their followers. Their desires are often incomprehensible to mortals, and for the clerics who access the power that comes with from the Chaos Domain, it is only a matter of time before they are overtaken by insanity. These strange acolytes spread discord and chaos wherever they go.
The Commerce domain values trade, proper management of resources, and entrepreneurship above all else, believing a healthy economy is the best path to create a more perfect world. Gods of commerce and trade — including Avandra, Erathis, and Tiamat — promote enterprise and the development of marketable crafts and skills. Some clerics of this domain, however, eschew the worship of gods to instead focus their faith on the almighty coin, believing that wealth is the best resource for enacting lasting change and living long, happy, and healthy lives.
Regardless of what gods, or lack thereof, clerics of this domain worship, they are always on the hunt for the best deal, and travel the planes marketing their talents as healers and appraisers. In larger cities, temples of Commerce are often found offering a variety of services: from the standard spellcasting services of healing and revival, to the exchange of goods and coin, to the selling of magical tinctures, to high-risk venture capitalist groups in which others can invest their money
The Concordance domain is a lonely but fulfilling path. Only those who worship all of the gods can choose this domain. They are healers and preachers, but with a special mission to bring peace and comfort to allkind. They don't help to further a person's goals, but bring it a measure of love, comfort, healing, and peace.
Followers of this domain are called Singers of Concordance. The name comes from a secondary responsibility: to protect the sacred Spheres of Concordance, which the gods created to ease allkind's pain. The gods won't turn away any creature willing to take up the responsibility that comes with being a Singer of Concordance.
Gods of darkness and shadow — such as Bayun, Tharizdun, and the Raven Queen — are not often depicted in the best light, being associated with terror, desolation, and unending night. Dwelling in their gloomy, often lightless realms, these deities don’t tend to attract many followers. So when a cleric chooses to devote their life to the service of one of these gods, they are imbued with great power over the shadows, becoming able to cause fear in the hearts of mortals. These gods teach their followers to think like the forces of evil in order to slay and conquer them, countering dark powers with their own black gifts.
While some clerics of the Darkness Domain are evil fearmongers, most instead make it their mission to rehabilitate the image of their deity through acts of heroism using their shadowy powers, becoming dark champions that bring comfort to innocents in the darkest of nights.
Bayun presides over visions, nightmares, desires, madness, and portents. They teach that all dreams contain prophecies, omens, desires, and truth. Clerics of this domain are quite an esoteric folk. They see omens and visions in everything, wield oneiric magic, and sometimes receive visions from them or witness strange portents while they slumber. Many of these clerics serve as oneiromancers, shamans, and wise folk in towns and villages across the world.
Clerics of the Domain of the Drei Kaiser are tasked with maintaining and controlling the natural entropy of things. Amid roiling heat and dust, endless sky, boundless sea, creaking forests, and dark ravines, the clerics of the three kings reign supreme. These clerics are gifted with knowledge of the divine spark, the essence of all creation wielded by the most powerful and revered of gods.
Gods of Entropy commit themsevles to the destruction of all things. They compel their followers to seek out and destroy life in their name. To destroy all good, and all evil, until all that is left is nothing but the pure primordial chaos that the universe was first born from. Deities of this domain include: Gruumsh, Mogis, Tharizdun, and Tiamat. Clerics of Entropy are not always evil-aligned. Most Entropy Domain Clerics spend their time searching for arcane and divine spellcasters that oppose their beliefs, and use their divine powers to combat their foe's spells.
Gods of eating and drinking, such as Melora, Karametra or Xenagos, promote the value of a good meal as much as they do the joy of sharing it with friends. As a follower of this domain, you believe that a good feast can be enough to settle most wars. You may know this first-hand: perhaps your life has been marred by poverty and survival with spoiled scraps, or maybe you’ve been blessed with lovingly-cooked meals and the joy of a full stomach. Regardless of your origins, you recognize the magic of a good meal and the power it has on a person’s spirit and well-being.
Through your passion and devotion, you see mealtime as a joyous way to worship the magic of food and your chosen deity. You are a capable chef with an appreciation of all food, both good and bad. You know that a foul meal can turn even the most veteran of stomachs against themselves, and have learned to harness this power for yourself. Like food, most people will like you at your best, but everyone will fear you at your worst.
Chauntico is the god of fire, creatures of fire, and purification through flame. The First Flame, like the rest of the elemental gods, seeks to promote elemental fire above the other elements, gaining supremacy in the eternal balance.
To change the world is to change yourself. Perhaps, you crave power or you have a desperate desire to change yourself. You have reached out to the Deity known as Master of Forms and they have answered your prayer. They are of protean in nature, redolent of entropy, and you are now their tool for change.
In the frozen north, where frigid cold and the cost of survival weighs upon the people daily, blessed warriors blossom beneath the snow. Clerics of the Frost Domain are champions of the glaciers by nature, devoting themselves to the old spirits of the frost. They are spiritual leaders of various tribes and establishments, guidin them through the remorseless winters. Strong as they are in their mystic communions, they also fight valiantly against the horrors that roam the icy wilderness. These clerics can often be found with a cup of mead in their hands, telling stories of their adventures and warming the hearts of those around them.
They channel the power of the unyielding winter. Where people fear the bite of the cold and harsh winds, they embrace it and use it to protect those need be.
Gods of the Hearth are patrons of all those who offer shelter to others. Clerics of this Domain are most often selfless individuals that put the comfort of their companions before all else. They strive to shelter to the weak, and bolster the spirits of the weary. Hearth clerics see themselves as the first line of defense in the cosmic battle against evildoers that seek to destroy the warm, cozy, and safe places of the world.
The slopes of Godreach are host to a plentitude of religious devout, venerating the peak as the communion point between the land and the Celestials. Though the worshippers often quarry with each other, they all believe the same truth: The mountain grants strength to those who have endured its trials. Clerics that dedicate themselves to the Ascent take pride in completing challenges and are granted powers from the Celestials to endure their journey.
The gods of the hunt value skill above all else—whether it be skill as a tracker of cunning prey, a slayer of mighty beasts, or a marksman of unparalleled accuracy—it does not matter. Deities of this domain include Malar, Balinor, Sekolah, Artemis, and Nylea. While rangers are often the most common servants of these deities, most of gods of the hunt employ clerics as well. The clerics of a hunting god often take a more active role in advancing their god’s interests, compared to rangers. Followers of this domain might defend sacred groves and shrines to their god from the assault of evil monstrosities or hunt down the enemies of whatever deity they follow.
The Inquisition domain reflects the order of the multiverse and the rejection of tainted magic—at least so far as certain celestial powers see it. Only the divine casters are pure and fit for use. Since arcane magic is strong enough to challenge the gods, divine beings of this domain, such as the Empyrean Justicar, demand magic-using mortals are kept in check. Most zealots root out all arcanists, while some strike fragile truces when complete removal isn’t feasible.
Gods of justice and law exemplify order and lawfulness, and the pursuit of just reparations and retributions. Some of these gods are ruthless in their pursuit of justice, and are quick to enact retribution when crimes are committed, while others are more forgiving and open to punishments other than death. Clerics of this domain often act as judges, lawyers, and investigators, and are well respected by their compatriots and hated by their opponents and detractors. They use their divine powers to find truth, root out evil, and bring justice to criminals.
Clerics that serve the fickle and spontaneous gods of Luck rarely resemble traditional clerics. Their holy symbols are usually sets of dice, pieces from gaming sets, or strange lucky charms. Luck clerics believe they earn favor with their god each time they leave their life in the hands of fate.
For those who embrace the Luck Domain, the greater the risk, the greater the thrill. Gambling with their lives brings great joy, and they live to encourage rash decisions in others.
Your divine powers originate with the Chained God, a being of paranoia, mayhem, and psychosis. Every deranged thought or uncontrolled flight of fancy empowers the Chained God, who cares little for the logic of other godly domains. That is, of course, because the Chained God is a squirrel living outside the kingdom who once told you the secret of divine power is actually to collect enough fresh boysenberries, but never to eat them, and that it helps to have a good horse at your side. And lo, the rules of reality slipped away and you realized the wisdom of Tharizdun’s words. It all makes sense if you think diagonally and squint your ears the right way!
Clerics of the Missionary Domain operate within a variety of different orders under a diverse set of deities, but they all have been granted the same purpose—spread the word of their god. For some this mission is a virtuous act, and for others, it is simply one side of their deal for divine power. Many of the clerics who follow this path are followers or leaders of cults that are on the precipice of being a full-fledged religion.
Clerics of the Moon Domain draw on their divine connection to the moons to wield light and shadow, invoke good fortune and ill favor, and reveal or conceal as they see fit. Most Moon clerics worship the Moonweaver herself, but her followers are as varied as the stars in the sky. Some seek to protect the vulnerable and do good in the world, while others meddle with impunity and distort the truth for selfish gain. Other Moon clerics worship not the gods but the moon themselves, especially those with an innate connection to the lunar cycle through lycanthropy.
The act of motion is performed by all living things, one of the base signs of life itself, and it has many manifestations. The entitiy of motion inspire their followers to recognize how all motion can cause further motion in other creatures or objects, to see how all is connected through even the smallest actions. Many of these clerics never stop moving, by means of constant traveling and sometimes being incapable of sitting still. While others are careful with their movements, only being in motion when they believe they understand what impacts their movement will have.
Music is a staple of cultures and civilizations across the multiverse, a rhythm and melody that brings joy, sorrow, and every emotion in between. The gods of who give importance in music value the range of impacts music has on all creatures, even those that don't or can't recognize the mathematics, order, and science that establish its songs.
Many of these gods also recognize the importance of discordance within the domain. They understand that music isn't and shouldn't always be pleasing, that in cacophony there is meaning and in that meaning emotion. Clerics of the music domain spread this message, sometimes in hymns, and other times in chaotic rabble.
From the Skyshatter, the Open Sky psychopomp is the messenger between this world and the next. They hasten the journey for those found worthy, and they help others on to the next life. Particular dogmas may dictate when this journey occurs, or they may not. The transition between life and death particularly interests the Open Sky psychopomps and tends to color their personalities, making them often gloomy and intense.
You worship gods who favor corruption and plague, the Domain of Pestilence, for, though you are ravaged by disease, it doesn’t harm you. Like a virus, you move through the population, spreading your Festering Faith to all who will listen. Unlike a virus, there is no immune system from the Festering Faith, only complete acceptance.
The inner and outer planes that encompass the material are vast, uncharted, and mysterious. The Hells, Feywild, and other planes of existence present wondrous and unfathomable treasure and danger. Planar domain clerics focus on the exploration of these planes and seek to understand them. Most gods have their devout followers seek knowledge to protect the material plane and often charge their acolytes with a particular plane to become a subject matter expert. Sometimes, the gods will command their followers to make a new plane their home and give their priests and priestesses the power required to make that existence their native land.
Lawful society has a high regard for the Planar cleric. Often, you can find powerful devotees in the courts of kings and serving on councils. Their broad perspective on the nature of the planes is invaluable, both from a protection standpoint and resource acquisition. Many Planar clerics finance their pilgrimage through the planes by seeking rare materials and selling them to artificers or wizarding schools. Young acolytes of the planes are drawn to these politically important figures and devote their lives to the king and country. Others are drawn more naturally to the thin veils that separate worlds, finding faith through the awe-inspiring majesty of a new existence.
Clerics of the prophecy domain may worship any god or no god at all. Their oracular burden isn’t tied to the portfolio of a specific deity. Instead their faith in the divine order of the universe manifests as prophetic vision. This blessing is intertwined with a curse. All oracles and prophets labor under an affliction that debilitates them physically in some way even as it empowers them spiritually
Water is the primal element for the survival for most of living creatures. Few supernatural and fantastic creatures can survive without water. The god that masters the water possess a strong aspect of renewal, life, and nature. However, He Who Makes Things Sprout has a destructive and chaotic side...
The ocean is a domain of the power of water and the sea. Priests of the sea captain and travel on ships, but they also work in harbors, blessing, maintaining, and guiding ships.
The elves of the Xenara have many saints that inform their daily lives—the Seldarine, the “fellowship of brothers and sisters of the wood.” While some elves may choose to honor saints more common in non-elven homes, the Seldarine is essential to many elves’ upbringing. While each saint has their own clergy, both mundane and those blessed with miraculous power, there are some who follow the Seldarine as a whole, drawing their power from each of the elven saints, or perhaps from the bonds that bring them together in fellowship.
Clerics of the Seldar Domain have a wide array of abilities available to them, but can only draw on a small set at any one time. They can become fierce warriors, if they listen closely to Solonor Thelandria and Vandria Gilmadrith, or learned spellcasters when they pray to Kirith Sotheril. The Seldarine’s clerics seek to achieve harmony among the elven people, equally carrying out their belief’s teachings.
Honour and glory are not the fate of all god sworn mortals, some instead are empowered so that they may better serve others.
The Silver Flame is a purifying force for Good in a world plagued by monsters. Exorcists of the Silver Flame channel the fire within to excoriate creatures of darkness, driving them back to where they came from or onwards towards the final death. Exorcists are unflinching in the face of evil, relying on their abjurations, purgatives and holy flame to carve a path to victory.
When a fallen soul dies, it is either sent straight to the Nine Hells to become a lowly fiend, such as a lemure, or to the Fugue Plane, where it awaits claim by its eventual destination. While they wait, agents of Asmodeus offer temptations and half-truths to these dead souls, attempting to change their destination to Asmodeus’s domain. Living followers of the Sin Domain concern themselves with these efforts on the Material Plane, hoping to tempt the living into wickedness and securing their souls for the Nine Hells before death. In return, these faithful see a chance to enter the Nine Hells as something greater than a pathetic lemure.
Though worshippers of the Sovereign Host do their best to recognize the importance and presence of the Host in all aspects of life, there are a select few whose affinity for the entirety of the Host, or whose depth of faith and understanding, goes far beyond the average priest. These individuals, when recognized by the local councils of the faithful, are given an upbringing of intense research, training, and prayer to hone this gift. They become Sovereign Speakers, worshippers who do not favor one member of the Host over the others and as a result can channel a myriad of miracles. Sovereign Speakers are often missionaries to the far corners of the world, trained in rituals and spells that foster understanding and promote evangelization.
Clerics of the Transcendence domain strive for the ideal of constant self-improvement in both body and mind. An example of a deity of this domain is Bahamut, though a great many gods teach their followers to strive for perfection and are therefore connected to this domain. These clerics often worship alongside monks, who strive for similar ideals of asceticism and personal perfection. They make it their mission to improve themselves and then lead others down the same path.
Gods of the Travel Domain are patrons to travelers, explorers and pilgrims. These gods bid their followers to take long journeys and see the world, in quest for greater enlightenment and self-understanding.
Clerics of the Travel Domain are cosmopolitans, having experienced many cultures and visited many locales, natural and urban alike. They often guide other travelers they cross paths with, and sometimes build small shrines on the roadside or other places important to them. They are known to make quick friends with those they meet on their journeys, sharing the legends and tales they 've heard across the world.
Raijin and Fujin's domain is a dual-purpose domain: their priests bring down the fury of the gods, and they help them by hiding and misdirecting others. Priests of Raijin and Fujin are at once proud and sneaky.
Being one of the most popular pursuits of humanoids the world over, it should not come as a surprise that the accumulation of material wealth is governed by its own deities. Sitting at the confluence of industry and fertility, gods of wealth are assiduous in demanding tribute, but pay back their most loyal followers generously, showering them with gold.
Druids of the Circle of the Arachnid embrace the arachnid – with a zeal and fervor that borders on the disturbing – at least to outside observers.
Circle of the Spider druids embrace the essence of arachnids—patient, industrious hunters that strike rapidly and mercilessly, drawing their prey away to dark places to extract what they need—be it material or less...tangible.
Circle of the Spiders druids are found anywhere spiders dwell - so everywhere - unseen and always watching....
Deep in the unexplored jungles of the world, lizardfolk tribes are led by a fearsome Circle of druids that worship ancient reptiles known as Dinosaurs. Members of this Circle draw upon the memory of these ancient beasts that flows within their own blood to strike fear into the hearts of their foes.
Those who channel the magic of life and nature often find themselves drawn to a particular shrine or natural site, binding their body and spirit to these places of power. Such druids draw vitality from their chosen location, protecting it with their lives—but not all succeed in defending these sacred realms.
Whether through the subtle corruption of vile magics, the tainted presence of an ancient terror, or a terrible mistake unleashed by druids themselves, a land can become cursed with magic that warps any druid bound to that land. Twisted by their connection to an unhallowed territory, these guardians come to embody the defiled nature they serve, exalting the natural process of decay and using it to further their goals—or sometimes to seek a means to end the curse that plagues them.
The Circle of Blood is a keeper of old ways. They remember how ancient druids performed sacrificial rituals under a blood-red moon to appease the uncaring forces of nature. The Circle of Blood druid trades blood for life in a delicate balance to bolster their allies and destroy their enemies.
ruids of the Circle of Brimstone see nature from a different standpoint. They realize that even the lower planes in which all life is bound to decay and burn, are but a mere extension of nature and they attempt to mimic the forms of demons, devils and all kinds of fiends.
The city lives; it has a pulse. Its skin is of walls and towering stone structures, its breath of chimneys and rivers. While the city exists, it lives in harmony with its people, a delicate balance mediated by the urban druids. These urban druids belong to the Circle of the City and are a direct antithesis to the conventional idea of a druid; whereas a normal druid lives among majestic forests or breathtaking mountains and dresses in the greenery of the forest, an urban druid wears unassuming clothes and wanders the back alleys of a well-trodden city. But their powers are not to be underestimated. Druids of this circle can channel their natural powers to twist the streets into knots, uproot towers, and animate the cobblestones. Their charge might be unorthodox, but their authority over the cityscape matches any other druid’s power over the forest.
Druids who are members of the Circle of Divinity hail from regions within or with ties to the upper planes. Many deities and celestials act as guardians of the natural world, and druids of this sect act as their divine hands. Granted power by the celestials they’ve allied themselves with, the bestial forms of these druids take a divine appearance and abilities to match. Capable of casting spells even while wild shaped, these druids use their divine powers to guard the most sacred lands of the world.
Druids of the Circle of Dust embrace the passing of time and all things, in all the ways they live and change, and all the ways things end. From plants and animals to rivers and oceans, members of this circle see the place of each thing within the flow of forever as just stepping stones or building blocks for the things to come. Their role in the world is much more visible to them and their futureoriented perspective makes them more aware of the consequences of their actions and inactions. Through this awareness and devotion, they gather both entropy and eternity slowly at their fingertips.
What is truly natural? The warforged are living creatures, despite being constructed from wood and steel. Druids who embrace the Circle of the Forged explore the potential of the warforged form, blending animal shapes with warforged durability. This is a young path, pioneered by a handful of warforged who sought a greater understanding of their role in the world. Over the last few decades, a number of warforged have embraced the Circle of the Forged; however, it isn’t limited to warforged; a Cannith heir or an aspiring artificer might pursue primal power as a way to transcend the limited flesh they were born with.
Only a handful of druids follow this Circle. Did you learn these techniques from a mentor? Are you driven by instinct, still learning what you’re capable of? Or, if you’re a warforged, were you designed with the potential to assume multiple forms . . . and if so, who created you, and why?
Druids that enters the circle of the Gaia Chain understand a fundamental law; there are many planes and each must be respected and protected, in its own way. The bond with nature must change accordingly to what “Nature” means in each plane and this circle has sworn to blend with the forces of every part of the Gaia Chain.
When legends tell of archdruids protecting the land, they speak of antlers, gnarled oak staffs, and swarms of birds. This is, of course, by design. Circle of the Gilded druids protect places much more valuable, fraught, dangerous... and best kept secret.
Filled with precious gems and ores, these sites would be strip-mined by covetous tyrants to fuel their generations-long war efforts. By inlaying the metals and gems into their very bodies, druids of the Circle of the Gilded tap into the ancient, primordial powers contained within these minerals to defend this lifeblood of the earth. Their zeal is often mistaken for greed, but the druids valiantly guard a resource often considered more valuable than humanoid life.
The cyclical nature of life is a central belief of every druid, no matter their Circle. However, to members of the Circle of the Harvest this cycle of life is of the utmost importance. Known as Avengers, these druids spent their lives enforcing this life cycle. They are protectors of nature and wrathful warriors who cut down any who abuse natural law. They are mortal enemies of necromancers and undead of all kinds. Rigid in their beliefs, Druidic Avengers ruthlessly hunt down and destroy anything that violates the natural laws of the world.
Druids of the Circle of Mutation believe that nature should be improved in order to compete with the unnatural world. Their order hides in the darkest corners of swamps and forests, conducting experiments to warp the structure of their domain. They go unheard from for months on end, emerging from the wild with twisted vines and mutated creatures at their side. These druids have earned the scorn of other circles, discredited as those who have lost their way. In the eyes of a mutation druid, those who wish to preserve nature as it is simply fear what change brings.
No druid chooses to join the Circle of the New Moon. These outcasts, degenerates, and heretics banished from the Circle of the Moon form their circles through chance meetings and correspondences between associates of associates.
Through these tenuous connections, they share new and terrible shapeshifting techniques. Druids of this circle make a twisted mockery of nature’s perfection as they use their Wild Shape, when they combine the powers of beasts that could never, and should never, be bred together. Many of these druids lose themselves to taboo thrills and live out their days as unidentifiable masses of body parts, consumed by an insatiable lust for new flesh.
The Circle of the Obelisk seeks to evolve lower lifeforms by channeling the mysterious power of an artifact known as the Obelisk. Black like the ichor between stars, this strange, rectangular prism has magically appeared throughout the planes, landing on primitive worlds and imbuing their inhabitants with the spark of knowledge. Druids of this circle believe that the Obelisk is responsible for all true evolution, and directly shaped all intelligent life in the universe; yet, very little is known about it. These druids seek to find the Obelisk's current location, unravel its mysteries, and raise themselves to a higher evolutionary state.
The Circle of the One Wood holds to ancient beliefs regarding the nature of the forest and the civilized world. These druids can bring forward the tough nature of trees to help defend themselves as they strive to defend the wild world. These druids are also able to alter their Wild Shapes to have wooden claws and fangs and armor. As a member of this Circle, you will gain the benefits of the One Wood's protections and the ability to fight to defend it.
Druids of the Circle of Owls maintain their tradition of spying and gathering knowledge and, occasionally, of permanently silencing those who would misuse knowledge. The Circle of Owls druids draw on the power of their namesakes, moving about the world unnoticed as they see and hear what others try desperately to hide.
Druids of the Circle of the Raccoon are especially dedicated to Baervan’s companion Chiktikka Fastpaws and form a special bond with their own ally from Chiktikka’s countless children. Circle of the Raccoon druids acts as messengers, spies, and - if desperately needed - light cavalry for remote forest settlements and wilderness holds. They have also been known to aid travellers in need or combat the encroachments of monsters and savage creatures.
Druids of the Circle of the Root weave their bodies with the earth, roots, and trees, allowing the nature they safeguard to find a home in their own once-living flesh. While all druids hold sway over the power of nature, only those of the Circle of the Root can truly embrace it, replacing limbs and organs with roots and vines, a process that would kill a regular mortal.
These solitary druids revere a place that no longer exists, drawing a bittersweet power from its memory.
Druids of the Circle of Sacrifice believe that nature connects one to the entire universe, including the stars and the astral void between planes. They know that immutable laws have been set down by the great powers of the universe and that sacrifices must be made to these powers in order to keep the balance. Such sacrifices take the form of great bonfires, wherein fallen creatures are immolated.
Druids who keep the Circle of Sacrifice are sometimes called the Keepers of the Old Ways, and they revere mistletoe as a sacred plant connected to the infinite power of the astral plane. Mistletoe must be harvested with extreme care, following rituals that ensure that the plant maintains its potency.
As one of the keepers of the Old Ways, you sometimes gather with others of your kind at sacred rings of standing stones. These standing stones connect the natural world to the heavens and the astral void.
The Circle of Sand originally arose among the desert dunes, where druids forged an intimate connection with the sands that surrounded them. Now such circles gather anywhere with excess sand, including coastlines or badlands.
While the unacquainted might view sand as lifeless and desolate, druids of this circle know the truth—there is life within the sand, as there is almost anywhere. These druids have witnessed the destructive power of sand and the sandstorm and know to fear and respect them. Underestimating the power of sand is only for the foolish.
While most druids protect places of natural power or wield the forces of nature, some form their Druidic Circles in the service of powerful dragons. In an effort to defend their lair, elder dragons will bestow some of their power upon druids who maintain the surrounding environment. The older the dragon, the greater its influence, and the larger its Circle.
Druids of the Sea are the ocean's shepherds, tending to the aquatic environment and its inhabitants. They revel in the currents and eddies, play in the waves and surf, and dive the crushing, cold, dark depths.
All the sea's natural animals are their charges, but none more so than the dolphin. Druids of the Circle of the Sea are often found among pods of dolphins, patrolling the oceans for destroyers and despoilers to combat.
You follow an old tradition of sea-dwelling druids that protect the waters from creatures, and creatures from the waters. Your culture has developed unique fighting styles not found in other druidic sects, which make you excellent combatants in and around the seas.
Most of the time, druids of the Circle of the Sky are aarakocra from Skyshatter who revere the freedom one has in flight. However, some find the beauty of the open sky alluring and are drawn to mystic glades or mountaintop aeries where they join the circle in honor of their love for the sky itself. These druids embrace the freedom afforded by the sky, and delight in the beautiful vista overlooking the gorgeous landscapes. Druids of The Circle of the Sky are also guardians of nature, who will drive out or destroy those who threaten the sanctity of sylvan lands.
The Druid Circle that is most revered by civilized peoples is that of the Sowers. Folktales tell of an ancient druidic sage that guided mortals to the discovery of agriculture. Drawing on their mystical knowledge of the natural world, this druid led ancient peoples to establish the first farms and towns.
Those who join the Circle of the Sower follow the example of that ancient sage. They wander the countryside and offer magical aid to farmers, gardeners, and all who till the soil.
Ages ago, nature priests with a greater connection to the spirit realm believed the world itself to be formed from a group of elemental and primordial spirits, each specifically charged to harness one of the major elements of creation. This band of tribal druids developed a set of ritual practices that allowed them to summon these spirits, whose essence now resides in every rock, tree, and breath of air, controlling the ebb and flow of nature not only in their homeland, but in all lands beyond. This order of priests were known as spiritlords.
Spiritlords begin their journey with the rites handed down by those before them, specifically, the ritual to create a special mask from an ironwood tree. This mask allows the spiritlord to play host to the spirit-elementals roaming this world.
As the spiritlord grows in power and gains a heightened level of attunement to the spirit world, their mask transforms along with them, being altered with new carvings, ritual paints, and brands that symbolize the bond between the druid and the spirits they carry within.
Weather is a primal source of power, and no weather is more iconic than that of the howling winds of a tornado, the thunderous rebuke of a thunderstorm, or the torrential rainfall of a hurricane. While some sorcerers claim to harness the power of the storm, you know this to be a lie. The storm cannot be tamed—it is merely ridden and guided by a wise hand. You know the lullabies that can call and soothe the storms, and the anthems that summon a mighty tempest to take away the breath of those who deny its power.
Shehport druids are by far the most common practitioners of this circle, especially those who were born of sea and privateers. House Lyrandar's dragonmarked heirs often can manifest these powers, as do some humans of the Adassa. However, any sailor who lives on the seas and has sufficient respect for the storms might learn to channel these abilities.
Though the nomads of the Northland Tundra have little familiarity with the sea, their unique relationship with planar powers means that druids of the storms are not unknown there.
From dawn's first light, allkind revered the sun's boundless blaze; it was their deity, compass, and ensign. Those who truly understood would dare to meet its gaze, finding solace in its brilliance. Recognizing its hand in the flourishing of both tender sprouts and towering titans, they hungered for such might, forging sacred circles.
Within these radiant conclaves, a chosen few began to commune more deeply, their souls intertwining with the very essence of the sun. They became the keepers of its secrets, the whisperers of its ancient tales, and the bearers of its untamed energy, sometimes leading whole civilizations with banners beholding the sun’s golden visage, sometimes with whispers within temple complexes and catacombs. The land responded to their call, the beasts heeded their song, and from their hands, golden, blazing magic flowed. It was whispered among the shadows and sung atop the mountains that these chosen were not mere druids but the very embodiment of the sun's benevolence: The Circle of the Sun Druids, guardians of nature's most hallowed luminescence.
The Unbroken Circle is an order of druids who have abandoned the patient teachings of their predecessors, deciding instead to take up arms in defense of the wilderness. These combative druids form militias and harness the fury of nature itself to forcefully remove any encroaching evil that threatens their sacred lands.
While the chaotic bend of nature is found within these druids, their bodies and impulses are tamed through training and discipline. Originally from the unforgiving Festerwood, this circle’s teachings are as rigorous as the forest, blending a mixture of offense and defense to stand up to all of the world’s challenges.
Druids of the Circle of Veins hold the belief that the worlds of the Material Plane, and indeed all planes, are alive. They can discern the channels through which the lifeblood of the planet flows, the natural magic that suffuses all life. These druids appreciate both the scale of these flowing reservoirs and the awe-inspiring, if untamable, power they house. Although many druids and rangers draw from this energy in the ages-old spells that harness it predictably, druids of the Veins embrace its wild nature and utilize it to defend ley crossings from being defiled or destroyed.
Perhaps the strangest of all druids, those from the Circle of Warshaping don't simply change their forms to those of wild beasts, elementals, or plants. No, they change their very biological structure, morphing their entire bodies into metal that is capable of liquefying and hardening at-will.
Far from the urban sprawl, a peculiar circle of druids focus their reverence to nature on its unpredictability. A Wild Card druid embraces and embodies random chance, channeling it to protect their sacred places. Each card in their deck depicts one of nature’s basic truths. By surrendering part of their druidic gift to the uncontrollable, they magnify its power.
Anointed Warriors enhance their martial prowess using the divine powers of celestial prayers and sacred alchemical mixtures. Some alchemists and spiritual mystics can have the recipes of such mixtures and texts of prayer, and they may teach anointed warriors their methods of anointing. Whether you found them in the ruins of a lost temple, learned them from a mystic, or met a celestial in person, you studied the art of anointing yourself, your equipment, and your allies as an anointed warrior.
Many are born without the use of magic, and who will never study or bargain for it. Yet still—be it through curse, blessing, training, or sheer exposure—magic attracts those who lack natural aptitude for it. Its presence is a constant to such people and, even if they’re unaware, it draws them closer. One such manifestation of this is the Artifact Eater, one whose lifeblood and prowess is mighty, suffused and improved by magic—not by casting it, not by receiving it, but by consuming it. Artifact Eaters bear the risk of harm for the powerful fuel it provides.
Every culture has stories of warriors who pull blazing weapons from the hearts of mountains or blood of Dragons, of those who could make that flame their own. Legends are born from truths, and these stories usually speak of Blaze Walkers, warriors capable of leaving nothing but cinders and ash in their wake.
Blood archers are cursed beings that should not exist. Birthed from nightmarish experiments, these hunters use a cursed method of archery, weaving their own blood into attacks to produce supernatural effects. Their powers come from tarblood, an amalgamation of hundreds of species’ blood that was forcefully injected into the veins of hunters. Those who didn’t die or go insane during the procedure became the first blood archers; only they and their descendants could wield this vicious power.
Being a blood knight in Xenara is a difficult task. There aren’t many knightly orders that accept them, and the knights are highly valuable due to their nature of abilities. One of the most powerful orders in Nolis, though they are but a wisp of their former glory, is located in Markora; the Order of Blood Knights. In battle, this order uses blood as a weapon to defeat their foes. A blood knight is mostly hired by the nobility for their defense and protection, or because they need someone caught and taken care of.
Among the ranks of monster hunters none are more feared than the might of the Blue Knights. These knights take from their prey to craft specialised potions granting them monstrous abilities. They are known as blue knight's due to a side effect of their alchemy granting them unnatural blue eyes.
Bonebreakers are battle-hardened warriors that seek to grapple and pummel their foes asunder with their physical might and martial skill. They practice techniques to toughen their skin, and strengthen their bones, in order to endure the physical abuse caused by the demands of their fighting style and way of life. Bonebreakers honor the tradition of abhorrence to wearing armor, and wielding weapons.
A bone knight, or an osteoth, is a warrior that has undergone an agonizing transmutation ritual, granting them the ability to fully control their bones. While this power is plainly disfiguring, it allows them to grow bone protrusions for weapons and armor, changing their skeleton’s size and shape at will. Mastering this ability is a feat of endurance and creativity, resulting in a fighter whose most powerful weapon is not sheathed at their side, but sheathed within their flesh.
Many fighters believe the osteoth ritual is a mere myth, a flight of fancy traded around campfires. And yet, the process is indeed real, preserved among moldering tomes and in the minds of deranged wizards. With some resourcefulness, the procedure can be replicated with the contents of any alchemist’s lab, with a generous fatality rate of nearly half
Beyond the solid world are dimensions of pure energy and refined substance. But where those planes break down (or perhaps, from where they spring up) is the clashing, ever-turbulent realm of the Elemental Chaos. You’ve always been especially sensitive to this dimension of tumultuous energy. Using that connection to guide you, you wield a weapon drawn from the Elemental Chaos itself. Holding raw chaos in your hands gives you the ability to make chaos-augmented strikes, create chaotic effects to confuse and defeat your foes, blast areas with balls of chaos, and eventually walk as a being of pure elemental chaos yourself for brief periods.
In dimensions other than the Material Plane, Chaos Blades are better known, and many (but by no means all) arise from people whose ancestry includes elemental heritage, such as genasi. Other beings also choose to learn the way of the Chaos Blade, including azer, tieflings, and various humanoid clans that have taken up residence in the Inner Planes and transitive planes.
As a Chaos Blade, you might have developed your ability purely through your own intuition and hard practice, through training by a teacher who also wielded chaos, or after an unexpected extraplanar experience where you were exposed to the raw Elemental Chaos and survived—and, with some soul searching, eventually thrived.
A Crimson Blade is a term given to those weapons which have been cursed (or blessed, depending on one's perspective) with the raging spirit of a defeated vampire lord. These blades are rumored to choose their wielders, rather than the other way around, and the relationship is not always mutually appreciated. Though the specific goals of a Crimson Blade vary, each blade is intent on achieving its own, selfish goals. The wielder benefits greatly, though, from the blade's innate magical power and the unnatural vitality it grants. Many attempt to to use the blade for good or for god, but, in the end, little is done that does not help the blade obtain its own subtle goals.
A lightly-armored sellsword irritates an armored knight by dodging blows, tiring his opponent before striking home without fear of reprisal. A warrior in full plate trusts his cuirass to stop a savage cut as his own blade sends a head flying. A berserker uses a free hand to entrap a weapon arm and guts his enemy with vicious stabs of his shortsword.
These are the cut-throats, warriors without creed or code, the sellswords and the savages. No knightly apprenticeship or combat academy taught them battle, for they rise from the humblest origins and earn prestige though luck, wit and strength of arms. A cut-throat seizes the advantage at the moment it presents itself, knowing that to falter or gloat before the enemy is finished is to risk death oneself.
Power corrupts, and some people are not only alright with that, but they desire that corruption, perhaps more even than the power itself. They use this corruption to gain further power, so on and so forth, repeating the cycle, feeding on that malice and ill will. Despots take this power and use it to push others down as they raise themselves up. Ruling through fear and punishment, a Despot grows in strength for every other they oppress.
An archetypical Devout bears a distinct resemblance to paladins and clerics, particularly in the way they present themselves. While they lack the divine magic offered by these classes, their divine fervor is far from lacking. A Devout fights for their deity, commonly acting as crusaders or, less commonly, inquisitors of the faith. These fighters come from all walks of life, united by their zealotry and unbreakable faith. In their training, they become capable combatants, devoted friends, and learned scholars of their faith. A Devout’s way of life is arduous—they are always fighting for something, whether it be for their god, their companions, or simply for a moral cause.
Clad head to toe in plates of steel, the dreadnaught stands a veritable mountain of impenetrable defense. When the dreadnaught charges onto the battlefield, the earth trembles beneath their armored feet. Faced with the inability to harm such a foe, their enemies often break and run in fear. The dreadnaught cannot be stopped, cannot be resisted, and they shrug off all but the most powerful of blows.
In a realm where the primal forces of nature hold sway, the archetype of the Elemental Knight emerges. These warriors bind themselves to the raw energy of the elements, drawing upon their power to forge a bond that transcends the mere wielding of weapons. Whether it be the searing heat of fire, the chilling embrace of cold, the corrosive touch of acid, the relentless force of lightning, or the booming might of thunder, an Elemental Knight channels these forces into every aspect of their combat style.
As custodians of ancient elemental lore, Elemental Knights wield their chosen element with precision and mastery. They view combat as a dance of destruction and creation, where the raw energy of the natural world can be both a weapon and a shield. Through rigorous training and meditation, they learn to channel elemental forces, using them to empower their attacks, defend their allies, and reshape the battlefield according to their will.
As beacons of elemental power, Elemental Knights inspire awe and hope in those they protect, serving as living reminders of the world’s enduring magic and the untapped potential that lies within all things.
The Falconer is a fighter that forms a bond with a trained bird of prey. Falconers and their partners use teamwork and simple magic to support each other and fight side-by-side. Not every Falconer partners with a falcon: many use other birds, such as hawks or owls. Some even bond with stranger beasts, like ravens, gulls, or parrots, adopting the traditions of the first Falconers with the birds of their native homelands.
The archetypal flame dancer, by means often unknown, has the ability to cover themselves and their weapons in flame. For some, this is through an esoteric breathing technique. For others, this is a strange magical gift. The performance art of fire-eating can lead some to develop these abilities in mundane ways. Many fire genasi and ember dwarves often embrace this archetype, honing their innate flame magic in battle.
The Furioso archetype specializes in assault maneuvers and the use of large and heavy weapons, such as the flamberge and the halberd; they choose speed, surprise, and mobility over defense. These characters are trained in one target attacks, focusing all of their power into a single strike, or area attacks on everyone in range.
Weaving the gravitational fields around them, gravity knights are tremendous fighters. Known for being able to switch in and out of aggressive and defensive fighting styles, they represent a formidable foe. Their formation requires peering into the endless void to grasp its powers, altering their being.
Not all mortal servants of the archfey are warlocks. Many choose to honor warriors of great skill, granting them boons in exchange for fealty and an oath of service. These warriors are known as greenblades, though they can be found wielding any weapon, and they are the martial agents of the archfey across the multiverse.
Powerful archfey that might take on the services of a greenblade include Titania, the Queen of Summer; the Prince of Frost of the Winter Court; King Oberon of the Autumn City; and powerful hags such as the Blighted Mothers.
The heavy bolters are named after their weapons: a crossbow variant made by the dwarves. In ancient times, their ranks consist of specialized soldiers who soften up armies with precision shots, keep the tunnels clear of vermin with their flamethrowers, or force flying enemies to the ground so their brethren can hack them up. The Heavy Bolters usually set up their barracks far removed from civilian housing and other critical structures due to the frequent explosions and other mishaps from tinkering with their weapons.
Heavy Bolters constantly compete in regards to who has the deadliest modification or slickest finish. Many embellish their weapons with drawings, charms or mementos. However, all have a bit of their biggest kill dangle from the crossbow.
The art of Iaijustu is the master of the first strike, to kill within one breath, and to move like a flash of lightning. Practitioners of this swordplay learn to attack with an unnatural swiftness and move like a swords swing, both honed to perfection. Tales of these fighters spread like wildfire, those who can behead there opponent without them realising what has happened, those who can stand midair as if defying gravity and those who seem to be able to swing multiple weapons with one motion.
Not everyone can become a paladin, a holy warrior, or a sacred messenger for the divine; not everyone possesses the spiritual capabilities of such blessed people. However, the most devout among the regular folk can still commit their lives and bodies to the service of a good temple.
There is a martial style known only to temples that prioritize protection, companionship and artisanship; one that’s not even taught to paladins, only shown to the most devout fighters. The first prerequisite of learning this style is to selflessly serve your deity, without wanting a single thing in return.
There are rare fighters throughout the multiverse who hone their inner ki, the energy that pervades all things and channel it to make their attacks deadlier. Unlike monks, specifically psi-knights, who struggle to maintain balance and discipline, ki tyrants bind their ki with anger, aggression, and fear. As such, most ki tyrants lean towards the evil and chaotic alignments, however, there are those who manage to maintain neutrality.
A kingdom rose to power thanks to its finest warriors. Warriors that followed the direction of a skilled king and, without hesitation, played their part in his dangerous gambles and blitz techniques, using speed and bravery to overcome the odds in any skirmish.
The surviving ruins house scrolls containing the rules of engagement and combat techniques of the said kingdom, allowing the remnants of that land to preserve their culture through this fighting technique despite the kingdom now being in ruin.
They are willing to share with anyone who dares to be as bold as their king, for they see the sharing of knowledge as an attempt to keep their kingdom alive in the hearts and minds of all who would listen.
Fighters who become Living Crucibles have discovered an external means of power. While most other fighters train in martial traditions or study the art of war, Living Crucibles hone their craft of alchemy and prepare their body to endure compounds poisonous to others. In exchange for this rigorous physical and mental preparation, these fighters are able to temporarily push their bodies past their natural limits. Under the influence of their alchemical compounds these fighters can see in darkness, enhance their speed, inure themselves to magical attacks, and more.
Blades sweeping around in dramatic arcs, propelled by ghostly, disembodied hands—the Mage Hand Magi are truly a force to be reckoned with. While wizards are content to use mage hand to retrieve their wands and open doors from across the room, the cantrip’s potential has always been clear for warriors: a deft mage hand can afford dozens of feet between a soldier and their foe, letting them deal a killing blow without raising a fingertip. Mage Hand Magi have mastered this cantrip through practice and discipline, elaborating a trick pioneered by warmages into a deadly fighting style of twin hovering blades. The most skilled can even manifest a warhand, a grand fist of magical wrath with which to crush their enemies.
Thee magical protagonist is a highly specialized fighter with the rare ability to wield the powers of hope, friendship, or love in battle. The truth of such powers has long been disputed in Ambria, but the lethal, sparkly results these glamorous warriors can produce are difficult to argue with.
While all fighters have skill with ranged weapons, some dedicate themselves exclusively to improving their accuracy and precision with the bow. Know as marksmen, these specialists are masters of ranged weapons, and a rare few are known to make use of strange weapons powered by explosive alchemical powders that propel metal with deadly force.
No matter their weapon of choice, all marksmen back up their deadly marksmanship with unshakable confidence and an unmistakable swagger. Confident in the speed, accuracy, and precision of their shots, there are few challenges a true marksman cannot overcome.
Since the dawn of civilization, beasts have worked alongside mortals. Most notable of these domesticated animals is the dog. The earliest hunters worked in tandem with these loyal beasts, sharing food and fire. Some fighters still take up this mantle and train Loyal Hounds to adventure by their side.
The Fighting League is a world of theatrical combat, and its combatants have a need as immediate as the one for food and water: to feed on the energy of the crowd. They absorb and wield the energy that radiates from a captivated audience. The Main Event is the picture of bravado and self-assurance, in the ring and in real fight to the death. They use the excitement of an unseen crowd to attain unrivaled physical perfection. Some combatants take time away from the League to become adventurers of the world. These are The Main Event fighters.
A Mimic Knight would appear as if they are a master of each and every unique fighting style, when in reality they are just expert mimics. They study and analyze what they see in a way that should be considered impossible. All weapons and combat styles can be subject to their gaze. They only have to see something once to be considered deadly.
A personal philosophy that drives the minimus magus to focus on minimal effort for reaching the highest efficiency. While true wizards spend hours, days, weeks and months perfecting their craft, fighters who choose this archetype will only rely on the smallest of spells—cantrips. In doing so, they appreciate the magic's aesthetic, and learn to turn their fighting style into an artform. Less can be more.
"Ahh, the Obeah. They see their twisted usage of magic as superior to other kinds of magic and have a hard time hiding that disposition. While they can be exceptionally well behaved and well spoken, there is not an ounce of humility within them. They usually live in small collectives which they call Darkcovens, often with the eldest Obeah witch leading them.
Some perverted sense of tradition drives each Darkcoven to steal an infant from the Material Plane every 20 years, like clockwork. A Darkcoven will raise this child collectively, bringing it up to become their protector and enforcer. Taught the dark arts, armored, and well trained in armed combat, these Obeah knights are incredible adversaries. Their story is, however, also one of sadness. You see, when such a knight reaches 30 years of age, he is given an insurmountable task and barred from returning before the task is completed. This pseudo exile, I suspect, is likely a ruse by frightened witches to stop the knight from dominating the Darkcoven."
The Paragon develops raw physical power into honed deadly perfection. Those modeling themselves on this archetype train rigorously with physical excellence all in order to deal the most devastating blows.
Alternate Champion
Grunts, warhounds, mudstompers; they go by many names, but the armada of Atlantis is supported whole-cloth by its men and women on the ground. Among those brave soldiers, only a scarce few have the incredible strength, tenacity, and raw guts to join the ranks of the elite praetorian. These super soldiers are bolstered by an arsenal of weapons and a suit of powerful and adaptable armor, called an impulse frame, which grants them every advantage possible over their opponents.
Pugilists live by their fists, bare-knuckle warriors who do not hesitate to throw hands if the situation demands it. They know the intense, close, violent intimacy of melee, and they operate unapologetically in that space. Whether in fighting pits by the docks to make some extra coin, in the king’s grand arena as champions of quarreling nobles, or in the employ of local merchants in need of seemingly weaponless guards, pugilists can be found in all rungs of society. Pugilists take pleasure in a battle hard won and thrill in the energy of the fight rather than in a kill. They can often be found celebrating or having drinks with a former opponent hours after the fight, regardless of the bout’s winner.
Teamwork is a skill that is mastered by every successful adventurer, and as far as teamwork is concerned, none value it more then the quartermaster. These fighters are not only imposing warriors in their own right, but they constantly strive to help their allies reach their potential. Often putting the needs of their companions before their own, quartermasters keep their allies in top condition with a slew of prepared rations and a helping hand.
True quartermasters are always prepared for anything, and are loyal companions to the end. They stand side by side with their friends, facing any dangers their allies do. With a quartermaster as a friend and ally, you will never face the challenges of life alone.
Scorn knights are trained destroyers of all things magic. Often driven by a personal vendetta against spellcasters, animosity toward magic items, or unadulterated hatred for magic itself, they seek to annihilate it at every turn. Sometimes referred to as “magicutioners,” these warriors typically won’t use magic items unless they are forced to.
Spellcasters—be they arcane or divine—tremble at the sight of an enemy scorn knight, knowing that their foe’s mere presence is enough to disrupt or sever their magical connection, the very essence of their power.
Folklore tells of a caste of downtrodden serfs, forbidden to carry weapons, gifted the power to wield their own skeletons as lethal instruments of battle by a sympathetic yokai. With carapaces of dense bone and vicious, osseous claws bursting from their flesh, the serfs overthrew their masters, winning freedom and a bloodsoaked notoriety. Today, practitioners of this devastating technique are known as Skeletal Blades. Often finding work as mercenaries, bodyguards, and spies, they charge into battle clad in an ever-adapting armour of gleaming skeletal white.
A Spiritsworn fighter is one that masters their martial prowess in tandem with a special spirit weapon, forming an unbreakable bond of shared growth and becoming a peerless martial team.
Driven and destined for greatness, the Starfated fighter draws on the power of their fate to bolster their resolve or change the tide of battle with deadly attacks. Walk the paths of weal and woe, or blaze your own trail towards glory. Starfated fighters often travel the world, certain that strands of fate will guide them on the right path.
Powerful, nimble soldiers from the settlements of the Marringburgh Principalities, Steel Hawks use explosive bursts of speed to launch themselves great distances in order to reach faraway threats. Despite their often heavy armor, those who follow this archetype leap and strike with the agility of seasoned assassins, becoming every inch the fearsome birds of prey their name would suggest.
Sword-dancers blur the line between warrior and courtier. The first sword-dancers hailed from the sultan’s court in the city of Eji'sal which reached the Layered city of Fester. Sword-dancers are graceful and charming, with wits as sharp as their flashing blades. Fighters who follow the sword-dancer archetype often attach themselves to powerful lords as bodyguards, spies, and diplomats.
There are warriors who move so quickly that they seem to stop time, then there are those who actually alter time with their attacks. The timeblade augments physical attacks by manipulating temporal powers and eventually learns to step outside time itself.
Capable of controlling the black mass of the Void, these Voidnaughts are widely known for their signature Voidwall: a black force capable of protecting themselves and others from harm. More advanced Voidnaughts are capable of creating protective shields, portals, and even transforming into the Void itself.
The competent warriors who call themselves Warp Snipers utilize the special ability to open up holes through the space called orbs for controlling the battlefield and strategy development. Corners, considered by some to be an archer's worst nightmare, are the Warp Sniper's greatest tool, as they can hit their enemies from seemingly impossible angles and keep an eye on them without the enemies knowing.
Fighters of the Weaponforger Archetype are specially trained in modifying weapons to unlock their full potential. Their attacks are furious, yet calculated, and are enhanced with a variety of powerful arcane bursts. Often soldiers on the front line, these versatile warriors keep an arsenal of different weapons, ready for anything they might face.
The archetypal wind knight can strike with the swirling wind created by their weapons. They use air pressure to transform melee strikes into projectiles, and spin their ranged volleys so that they hit with cyclone force. Wind knight abilities are not magical They follow an ancient fighting tradition focused on the flow of air, sound, and pressure, handed down through generations of masters and devoted pupils. These warriors constantly seek to improve and refine their skilL searching for worthy opponents to both test and hone their abilities against.
Some covens of witches practice witchcraft not to sling spells, but to enhance their powers in battle. Witches who choose this way are called Witchblades, and are renowned for their supernatural adaptability in the battlefield. Like all witches, Witchblades gain their magical abilities by summoning spirits, but the way in which they do this is unique. They use their spirit-summoning abilities to imbue their blades with the spirits of warriors who came before them, learning their fighting techniques in the process. The stronger a Witchblade is, the more spirits they can summon to their weapon, and the more formidable and adaptable they are in battle. Witchblades excel in changing their tactics to suit their surroundings and exploiting their target’s weaknesses.
Witchblades are easily recognized by the weapon that gives them their name. Over time, reflecting its wielder’s growth in power, the weapon changes to reflect the particular brand of witchcraft of its wielder — growing in size, for example, or glowing. It is said that when a Witchblade grows sufficiently strong, their weapon itself becomes as changeable as its wielder, thanks to the spiritual energy constantly stored in it.
The Witchblade is a “mimic fighter”, using the abilities of other fighter subclasses to adapt to different situations! They learn these various abilities, however, like wizards learn additional spells. Their changing weapon and abilities make them extremely adaptable to all kinds of situations, and the method by which they can acquire new subclasses to use brings a whole new set of meaningful, roleplay-heavy choices and a new kind of interaction for game masters to put in front of their players. GMs can even use the different spirits that the Witchblade summons as NPCs that interact with the Witchblade, opening completely new opportunities for roleplay.
Most paladins are chiefly concerned with doing good. A rare few pursue darker paths. But those who take the Oath of Acquisitions don’t fall into either camp. They have the power to help people...but why would they, if they aren’t going to be adequately compensated? They’re called heroes, demanded to throw themselves in harm’s way, but when it comes time for hazard pay? They’re told their service should be payment enough. But in a dragon-eat-dragon world, these heroes for hire need every tool at their disposal, be it sword or spell, to ensure that in- voice gets paid on time.
These notorious charmers wield a strong portfolio of enchantment magic to move the needle on and off the battlefield. Be it a heated negotiation over the price of a potion or a pitched battle with a soon-to-be-overly-friendly giant, it’s hard to deny these silver-tongued devils when they turn on the charm.
Perhaps you entered into an infernal contract forcing you to collect on debtors. Or that merchant you guarded a few years back made a lot of good points about knowing your worth. Maybe you just took the guidance from your god of traders a little too far. However you came to take this oath, you always aim to come out on top—and woe to those who break a contract with you.
The Oath of Autumn is an ancient and respected tradition. Sometimes referred to as 'autumn knights' or 'harvesters', paladins who swear this oath concern themselves with th cycle of life and death, as well as the time of harvest and reaping the rewards from good and honest work. These warriors help uphold that all things come to an end, and to reflect on the work and life that one has led. They adorn their armor with images of autumn - fallen leaves, barren trees, sickles, or harvest moons - to represent their commitment to the order of life and death and protecting the time of gathering, feasting, and contemplation.
Wealth is the availability of goods and services, and thus is a representation of both power and opportunity. A wealthy benefactor can save a civilization, while a wealthy tyrant can turn the world on its head. You’ve sworn to let nothing stand between you and the accumulation of wealth, as any whim that takes you can be accomplished with the prudent use of overwhelming financial might. You may have attracted the attention of the Currency Conspiracy, for if your greed blinds you to the truth of their work, then they will gladly take you into their ranks.
It is truly a terrifying sight to behold, when the most virtuous among us succumb to the will of the vile darkness. For above all else, the dark forces relish in corrupting the hearts of the pious and the courageous, those who once stood as a symbol of hope against their influence. It torments them, scars their lives to a point at which their faith wavers and eventually breaks them down, only to reforge them anew into an icon that mocks divinity itself. This is how a brave paladin turns into a hateful blackguard. Godslayers and heretics, blackguards have no tenets to uphold. Having lost everything they once held dear, they bestow purpose to their vane existence through seeking vengeance, wreaking havoc against the Gods that betrayed and left them weak, as well as their followers who refuse to see their divine ploy
The Oath of Blood binds paladins to protect the creatures they serve, siphoning their own life force to safeguard their charges. Mystically dedicating their own lives to others allows these guardians to push their bodies beyond normal limitations and expend life force to enhance their allies.
Paladins who follow this oath are often destined to do so from birth, coming from a line of ancestors who have served each generation of an influential family. Whether trained from infancy or not, these paladins dedicate their lives to a particular person or group of people, drawing power from their deep commitment to others.
The Oath of the Blue Moon calls to paladins who gain divine power fram the moon itself. Hunting their foes during the night, with the radiance of the moon shining upon them. They prefer to smite their enemies with a bow and other ranged weaponry. Paladins that follow the Oath of the Blue Moon commonly worship deities such as Corellon Larethian and Sehanine Moonbow.
Sometimes during a war a master of military deception and cunning is required. While morally gray, these mysterious warriors are unquestionably faithful to their cause. They act for the benefit of their home nation and not to compromise their mission no matter the cost.
The Oath of Cinders was first taken in an age long past, not long after the time man first harnessed the power of fire. The paladins that take this oath are sometimes called pyre knights, red knights, or ashen knights, as their oath grants them command over the element of fire. They are known for their limitless bravery and unwillingness to back down from a losing fight, as they attempt to keep the flame of hope alive no matter the circumstances. Many paladins that take this oath are revolutionaries, fighting against tyranny and protecting the oppressed.
Nobody is more aware of the incredible power of witchcraft than witches themselves. Witches form covens comprised of powerful spellcasters and formidable warriors, covenants that grant them tremendous power, and bonds that share their power between one another. It is no wonder that with magical groups wielding such might, someone is needed to keep the peace.
Paladins who swear to follow the Oath of the Coven are there to protect witches—most of the time, to protect them from other witches. Despite the wide diversity of covens’ values and teachings, nearly all of them include at least one Oath of the Coven Paladin. They are there to keep the peace and to protect other witches from outside threats, but also to ensure that their own companions do not go mad with power. Many are sent after witches who have broken the law, killed their masters, or otherwise endangered the well-being of other witches. Once an Oath of the Coven Paladin is on the hunt, very little can stop them.
These paladin witches use their witchcraft to stop spellcasters in their tracks. They are uniquely suited to counter and take down those who use magic to harm or manipulate others, and their abilities center around interrupting or resisting spells. Many witches are thankful for their presence, while many others resent them and see them as an unnecessary precaution stifling their pursuits in spellcasting, but witches have learned that a steady hand holding an unwavering sword can be the only thing stopping a coven from crumbling under its own weight.
Such is the strength of conviction held by some paladins that, should they fall before their cause is won, their mortal soul blazes on in the afterlife. A deity can look favorably on such a soul, often the same deity to which the paladin swore their oath. Regardless of the cause, a higher power has granted them a second life, so to speak—an opportunity to do what remains undone.
It is said that this oath originated in cities where the sun was scarce and/or sacred. The power of the light is said to be a holy one, bestowed only upon the purest of heroes. Those that embrace this oath stand as a bulwark against the darkness.
"The personal guards of Lady Ivania Dreygu of Sunderheart are the most peculiar of any order of paladins that I have ever known. These are not men and women of honor, of unwavering moral compass, or piety and righteous zeal. They are not champions of the weak and downtrodden. Instead, they are self-absorbed hedonists who appear to be concerned with nothing more than satisfying their own desires. For make no mistake about it, it is pleasure and pleasure alone that they seek.
The most expensive food and wine. Garments of the rarest silk with gold thread. The most beautiful and talented company in and out of their bed chambers. Nothing but the best will appease them. When you focus on your base desires, though, where does it end? For those obsessed with pleasure, the answer is that there is never enough. They will seek out more and more exhilarating experiences, many turning to the domination of others, at court or on the battlefield, to create a sense of power that is equally addicting. Quite unlike their brethren of the light, these so-called knights have no qualms about exposing themselves or others to danger in pursuit of a thrill. I’ve even heard tell of some laughing in ecstasy when they are themselves cut and beaten. It’s a wonder that they can focus on their work and keep the Lady of Sunderheart safe at all."
Dragonlords are paladins who seek to extend their reach across the land by binding a dragon into their service. Such a task should never be undertaken lightly. Forming a true bond with a dragon requires a paladin to hatch a dragon egg and raise the wyrmling from the first moment it draws breath. Raising a dragon in this way requires the paladin to lay their life on the line by swearing an oath. This oath creates a reciprocal bond between the paladin’s soul and the soul of the dragon.
But finding a dragon egg is no easy task either. For this reason, Dragonlords summon pseudodragon familiars and train them to seek out the perfect egg. This process may take years, and many paladins come to view the pseudodragon as a partner in the oath. When an egg is finally discovered, the paladin and the pseudodragon may share an almost parental pride in the hatchling. Once the paladin’s dragon is grown, its master becomes a true Dragonlord. But the paladin is as much a servant to the dragon as the dragon is to its master. The two are one—their destinies are interlinked—and whatsoever pain is suffered by one is also felt by the other.
The Oath of Dreams is a shout and a vow to push forward, and to uplift and bolster those around you. No matter the opposition, no matter the danger, and no matter the obstacle, a paladin of the Oath of Dreams endures and persists, with each step they take lighting the way for those they protect and support. The true duty of the Oath of Dreams is not inherently violent, nor is it to face dangerous odds. It is to see the impossible goal, to see the struggling dream, and to light yourself aflame to help others flourish and make them real.
Oath of the Eldritch Hunt is sworn to the eradication of the unnatural, the aberrant, and the alien. These hunters tread a fine line, enhancing themselves with their prey’s powers whilst trying to maintain their sanity. Unfortunately, this frenzied hunger drives many to madness, and it is no rare occurrence for these paladins to have to hunt their own.
This oath is found most frequently among paladins of the Radiant Order. Known as grey knights, witch hunters, and knights aberrant, these oft-deformed warriors devote themselves to obliterating the scourge and its creations.
Those who take the Oath of Fortune believe it is chaos and uncertainty that molds the world. The powers of the gods are what keeps this chaos from becoming overwhelming, and their grace is felt whenever fortune crosses your path. Instances of luck or fortune are moments the gods have grasped and blessed with their divinity. This sort of divine luck is felt by the paladins of Avandra when they willingly throw themselves into peril by combatting the evil monsters that are found all over the planes. To survive these battles, risks must be taken, and it is in risk that fortune is found.
Those who take the Oath of the Forsaker embrace the truth of magic’s corrupting power. While a paladin of this oath might temporary align themselves with a mage, they by no means condone the wanton use of magic. These paladins hold themselves as bulwarks against the endless tide of magic in the world, while most succumb to the siren’s call of magic, these paladins stand firm against it. Often, a paladin of this oath has witnessed brutal atrocities perpetrated through magic, usually against themselves or someone they hold dear. They do not note a difference between the divine or the arcane, both reduce even the noblest of individuals to slaves to strange forces. While these paladins do have access to their own magic, it is in the pursuit of their ultimate goal, the end of magic in the world. Many have a specific artifact that they quest to attain and destroy, others just seek to remove even the most mundane enchantments.
Courtly grace, honed through centuries of refinement, is core to elven society, even amongst those not of noble blood. While elves are often said to be flighty and chaotic, only a fool would call them blundering or thickheaded. Some elves swear an oath—before a leader, a god, or alone, to their own ears—to uphold this aspect of elven society above all else. Paladins who swear the Oath of Grace commonly rise to places of leadership in elven courts (or those not) and on the battlefield, warring against their more brutish enemies. When found outside of elven settlements these knights serve as diplomats and arbitrators.
The Oath of Grace allows paladins, elf or not, to become the voice of reason in chaotic negotiations and, if blades still come to bear, to end it swiftly and decisively. They move swiftly in battle, even when wearing heavy plate mail, and never lose their footing.
Oath of the Harvest attracts paladins who wish to nourish and heal the world. Often found on aid missions to war-torn lands, such paladins resort to harm only as a means of preventing further suffering. Paladins who swear this oath are more likely than not to heal, feed, and nuture a wounded foe, provided the defeated creature gives its word of honour that it will cease its nefarious activities. They are no fools, however. Typically versed in religion and medicine, these paladins are unlikely to believe the word of creatures inherently inclined to lie, or those that have previously broken their word.
Heretics come in all forms, but those who swear an Oath of Heresy have borne witness to a great revelation: the prophets of history are false and their clerics have been misled, for the gods have deceived the entire world. Heretics vow to spread their truth to whoever will listen, rebuffing holy men and inquisitors that lack the sense to share in their revolution. Naturally, heretics end their crusades in one of two ways: canonized for revolutionizing the faith, or burned at the stake for their transgressions.
Heretics might embrace any fundamental truth that goes unrecognized. Many believe the gods are fundamentally false—a trick wrought by celestials or high priests—while others simply profess the nonnecessity of deities to gain entry to an afterlife. Others attack fundamental pillars of faith that are erected on prejudicial beliefs, such as priestly orders that disallow people of different races or genders to their own. No matter what truth they embrace, these paladins are empowered by their belief and their oaths (as all paladins are), and so can crusade in active rebellion against the gods.
The Oath of Justice is a commitment not the tenets of good or evil but a holy vow sworn to uphold the laws of a nation, a city, or even of a tiny village. When lawlessness threatens the peace, those who swear to uphold the Oath of Justice intervene to maintain order, for if order falls to lawlessness, it is only a matter of time before all of civilization collapses into anarchy.
While many young paladins take this oath to protect their country and the people close to them from criminals, some older adherents to this oath know that what is just is not necessarily what is right.
The legendary Daughters of Sora Kell occasionally choose champions, marked by a specific brand. Though their influence nearly equals that of the Aklavan warlords, more often than not, the Knights of Kell are bound only to the service of these enigmatic hag queens. Natives of Tundell recognize the brand of a Kell Knight, but elsewhere in the world, the Mark of Kell draws indifference or passing curiosity. As knights continue in service, the rewards gifted by their patrons increase exponentially, but few survive long enough to see the pinnacle of their knighthood due to their bizarre and dangerous missions.
Although most Kell Knights are in Tundell, they can be found across the Nolissian Empire's reach, serving the interests of the Daughters. Sora Teraza has been known to recruit servitors via their dreams, and these dream-bound knights can be found anywhere.
For many mortals, power is a means of control and a resource for rule. You, however, have been granted the power of the runes of Lordly Might for the purpose of providing it to others in need. Your strength and might is a gift you use to become a living symbol of hope that brings peace to others' hearts and power into their lives. Lead the way, and rise up against those evil forces that would threaten the good in the world. Become a champion of might!
Not all paladins are able to hold to their Sacred Oaths. Some break their Oath and fall into evil, becoming Blackguards and Oathbreakers, but not all who falter become paragons of evil. Known as the Oathless, paladins who abandon their divinely appointed cause for reasons other then evil still retain some of their power. They wander the wilds as lost warriors, often becoming bandits and mercenaries. Some quest for purpose, seeking to renew their Oath, while others fall into despair.
Clad in grime-soaked armor and wielding rusting weapons, the Oath of Pestilence paladin spreads corruption, disease, and filth. Bound by an oath which infests their bodies with all manner of plagues, these heralds of decay lumber forward with unholy toughness and grim resolve.
Careful observation, meticulous planning, and a well-executed strategy—these are the language of the Red Knight, the goddess of strategy. Believing that intelligent planning can beat even overwhelming odds, the Lord of Strategy embraces creative approaches and calculated risks. Even in the chaos of battle, followers of the Red Knight keep their heads—it is, after all, their best weapon.
Battles, when it comes down to it, are just a series of risks. In every moment of the bloody struggle risks are taken, overlooked, successful, or failed. To paladins of the Red Knight, preparation is only half the formula for success—they must be prepared to both identify and control the risks around them to consistently win the day.
The Sacrament of Blood is one of the central rituals of the Blood of Vol. Members of the community gather, and each sheds a few drops of blood into a chalice. The faithful believe that there is a divine spark in the blood; through this ritual, the faithful are recognizing their shared divinity and affirming their connection to one another. Death is oblivion. But life itself is divine, and all of the faithful are bound by blood. A paladin who takes the Oath of Sacrament harnesses the divine power in their own blood and uses that gift to defend those they care about. Such a paladin cares little for honor or honesty, and sees no need to protect every innocent. Reality is vast and cruel, and some people deserve to end in oblivion. But friends and family are precious, and the paladin will guard them to the bitter end.
Have you ever thought why those so called "paladins" wear shiniest, brightest armor possible while riding whitest horse they could find? Because they don't do things they do just for the sake of it. They want to feel praised. Worshiped. Loved. Looked upon. I would say that taking an oath for that reason would be lying to a god they swore upon, but these entities are as deranged as their knights. They love those juicy prayers of gratitude, I can tell you that.
If you want to help people for the sake of actually making world a better place, do it from the shadows, away from the plain light. No worship. No thanks. Only knowledge that you actually made a change.
Some words need not be said. There are times where an oath of silence must be taken to protect a secret, or your sanity, or to channel a spectacular judgment. In either way, these warriors use the unsaid words to fuel their warfighting and instead use telepathy and thaumaturgy for communication. Their oaths are taken, usually, to fight against those who mislead and lie to their people; in some cases, those who take this oath usually face unimaginable horror and decide to speak no more, and in others, these are philosophers who believe that oft times words are misunderstood, but actions are not.
The Silver Flame is a purifying force for Good in a world plagued by monsters. Templars of the Silver Flame are set on the path to eliminate all evil and save lives. Templars are the ones that face the battle against evil whether it be monstrous or not.
Legends tell of a holy order that once served the gods above, an order dedicated to the protection of pilgrims in lands far beyond their own. These strange knights were told to have skin as hard as the metal armor they wore, and were petrifying to behold. Many scholars debate the origin and strangely short lifespan of these warriors, with many statues standing guard over their respective holy sites. In truth, these knights underwent extensive training in arts both martial and magical, and their rite of entry was to meet the gaze of a martyred medusa, and live.
Long ago, they were often referred to as Valkyries, paladins of this oath back then were almost exclusively women hailing from the Icefell mountains . They were a major force within the knightly Order of the White Lion in that ancient Amazonian nation. Shieldmaidens of the dwarven cantons and centaur outriders of the Eternal Frozen Plain also number among its adherents.
Now, in modernity, paladins sworn to Thunder are even more reserved and humble in daily life than other paladins. That veneer splits like a thunderclap in battle, where they erupt as vicious hellions. Indeed, thundering paladins love to strike “thunder-wise,” meaning suddenly and with surprise, appearing like a bolt of lightning in their enemies’ midst before those enemies know what hit them. Paladins who follow the Oath of Thunder are most often devoted to the cause of good but care little about the struggle between law and chaos.
The Oath of Truth is sworn to the ideals of knowledge, integrity, and sincerity. Sometimes called seekers, paladins who swear this oath are often scholars that devote themselves to the pursuit of knowledge. These paladins are not content with merely knowing the truth, however—they also devote themselves to upholding it. They refuse to utter lies or deceptions, and make it their duty to correct any falsehoods they come across. Paladins that follow the Oath of Truth often adorn their armor and clothing with angelic images, including wings and halos, as they idealize the angelic ability to perfectly tell truth from lie. Images of eyes are also common, whether incorporated into their coat of arms or even tattooed upon their body.
The Oath of Wands is devoted to ridding the world of renegade mages, such as liches or the occult, in order to protect the helpless from the forces of evil magic. The paladins who swear this oath believe in maintaining the balance of power between the ordinary and the extraordinary, including themselves. These paladins are resourceful and quick to remember their own mortality and privilege, often choosing to pursue mundane solutions before magical ones. Despite their caution, these wardens of balance are exemplary arcanists who can feel the weave of magic in the world as keenly as some of the finest sorcerers.
The Oath of Winter was originally a concord between a paladin and an ancient being of ice, Father Winter. With this treatise, the paladin swears to stand vanguard against the cold, protecting the innocent from the ravages of winter’s ice and the horrors of the bitter north. Even as Father Winter has faded into obscurity with the march of centuries, the order of paladins sworn to this oath has remained, their concord and duty neverending.
The Oath of Zeal is taken by paladins consumed by hatred for a specific group or ideology. Zealots, as these paladins are sometimes called, pursue an inquisition against their enemies at all costs. They abandon compassion and honor as impediments to the more important work of ridding the world of those they deem dangerous or heretical.