Quandrix Trickster

As a Quandrix student, you spent too much time learning the wrong skills and were expelled after one trick too many. Now you're a thief, a fence, a smuggler, or a spy, for private gain or for hire.

Secrets and misinformation are your stock in trade. You skulk in the shadows, infiltrate, and steal the most precious secrets, whether they're written in locked journals or hidden away in someone's mind. Even you might not be aware of all the reasons behind the missions you are paid to carry out, or the uses of objects you acquire or smuggle.

You probably wouldn't kill for payment, but you may use poisons to drug your victims, or enchantments to get what you want. You draw the line against blackmail, extortion with threats, kidnapping, and bounty hunting, but have no problem selling information to the highest bidder.

Building a Quandrix Trickster

To choose this background, you must be a Rogue, and you must also choose the Rogue Arcane Trickster archetype at level 3, which will give you a Wizard spellcasting focus, with Intelligence as your spellcasting ability.

Quandrix Trickster complies with Rogue Arcane Trickster rules for learning and replacing spells when levelling up. You do not need to prepare spells, and you do not need a spellbook. You cannot swap cantrips using the Cantrip Formula optional feature that is only available to true Wizards (unless you take a Wizard dip).

If you select mage hand for Quandrix Initiate (level 1), then this background allows you to select a different Wizard cantrip for Arcane Trickster (level 3), which you cannot swap.

Skill Proficiencies: Deception, and one of Acrobatics, Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand and Stealth.

Tool Proficiencies: One kit from Disguise kit, Forgery kit or Poisoner's kit, or one class of getaway vehicle from Vehicles (Land), Vehicles (Sea) or Vehicles (Space).

Languages:  One of your choice.

Equipment: A set of common clothes (including a hood), a signet ring (with an inscription), identification papers, a Component Pouch, and a Pouch containing 15 gp.

Spell List

The following are added to your list of Wizard spells. If you are a multiclass character with multiple spell lists, these spells are added to all of them.

Consider customizing how your spells look when you cast them. As a Quandrix Student, your spells might manifest amid kaleidoscopic swirls of fractal patterns, amplifying the tiniest movements of your somatic components. When your magic creates or alters creatures, it might briefly surround the targets with shimmering fractal designs or tessellated patterns.

Spell Level	Spells
1st	command, detect poison and disease, dissonant whispers, entangle, guiding bolt
2nd	calm emotions, pass without trace, silence
3rd	aura of vitality
4th	freedom of movement

The above are non-wizard spells up to level 4 which you began learning before you were expelled from the Quandrix college.

• Quandrix Student spells (aura of vitality, entangle, freedom of movement and guiding bolt)
• Druid spells (detect poison and disease and pass without trace)
• Illusions and enchantments from other colleges and their professors (calm emotions, command, dissonant whispers and silence).

Suggested Characteristics

Skilled at infiltration, disguise, and deception, your true personality and ideals might never manifest, or they might mark you as a charlatan or untrustworthy.

d8	Personality Trait
1	I always have a plan for what to do when things go wrong.
2	I am always calm, no matter what the situation. I never raise my voice or let my emotions control me.
3	The first thing I do in a new place is note the locations of everything valuable—or where such things could be hidden.
4	I would rather make a new friend than a new enemy.
5	I am incredibly slow to trust. Those who seem the fairest often have the most to hide.
6	I don’t pay attention to the risks in a situation. Never tell me the odds.
7	The best way to get me to do something is to tell me I can’t do it.
8	I blow up at the slightest insult.

d6	Ideal
1	Honor. I don’t steal from others in the trade. (Lawful)
2	Freedom. Chains are meant to be broken, as are those who would forge them. (Chaotic)
3	Charity. I steal from the wealthy so that I can help people in need. (Good)
4	Greed. I will do whatever it takes to become wealthy. (Evil)
5	People. I’m loyal to my friends, not to any ideals, and everyone else can take a trip down the Styx for all I care. (Neutral)
6	Redemption. There’s a spark of good in everyone. (Good)

d6	Bond
1	I’m trying to pay off an old debt I owe to a generous benefactor.
2	My ill-gotten gains go to support my family.
3	Something important was taken from me, and I aim to steal it back.
4	I will become the greatest thief that ever lived.
5	I’m guilty of a terrible crime. I hope I can redeem myself for it.
6	Someone I loved died because of a mistake I made. That will never happen again.

d6	Flaw
1	When I see something valuable, I can’t think about anything but how to steal it.
2	When faced with a choice between money and my friends, I usually choose the money.
3	If there’s a plan, I’ll forget it. If I don’t forget it, I’ll ignore it.
4	I have a “tell” that reveals when I’m lying.
5	I turn tail and run when things look bad.
6	I have delusions of grandeur.

Contacts

You have a different network of contacts for each type of job you do. Roll a dice, or choose one or more from the list.

d8	Contact
1	I prefer to work on my own. When I need a job, I know who to contact.
2	I have contacts in the government's espionage departments.
3	I can contact the City Watch if they ever need help.
4	I have contacts in several smuggling networks.
5	When I need a team for a job, I have friends, and I keep a lookout for anyone with the right skills.
6	I know fences who will give me a fair price for items I cannot sell.
7	I have a minder who takes care of everything. They contact me telepathically, and I've never met them.
8	I am a member of a secret guild and communicate using secret code phrases.