Powder Savant

 

To a Powder Savant, a firearm is not merely a weapon—it is a conduit for controlled disaster. Through disciplined engineering and a willingness to flirt with catastrophe, they refine each shot into something greater than simple ballistics. Their weapons crack with thunder, scatter with flame, and bloom into bursts of concussive force that reshape the battlefield.

Many Powder Savants bear scars of their craft. Burned hands, lost fingers, shattered limbs replaced with reinforced prosthetics—such injuries are often considered proof of dedication rather than failure. The Savant learns from every mistake, calibrating pressure, refining mixtures, and strengthening their frame until they can channel forces that would tear lesser warriors apart.

In battle, a Powder Savant is equal parts duelist and demolitions expert. They step forward with calm precision, ignite the chamber, and let the world answer in fire and smoke.

To stand near one is to feel anticipation in the air—like the moment before a fuse finishes burning.

Volatile Ingenuity

You gain proficiency with firearms if your setting uses them. If firearms are not used in your campaign, this feature applies to crossbows.

You develop specialized explosive ammunition and volatile firing techniques.

You gain a number of Powder Charges equal to 2 + your proficiency bonus. You regain all expended Powder Charges when you finish a short or long rest.

Once per turn when you hit a creature with a firearm or crossbow attack, you may expend one Powder Charge to apply one of the following effects. The saving throw DC for these effects equals:

8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier.

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Flash Burst

The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the start of your next turn. 

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Thunder Kick

The attack deals an additional 1d8 thunder damage.
The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 15 feet away from you.

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Scatter Bloom

Creatures of your choice within 10 feet of the target must make a Dexterity saving throw.

On a failure, they take 1d6 fire damage. On a Success, they take half damage. 

Uhhhh.... Oops?

You are intimately familiar with unstable powder and pressure backlash. When you roll a natural 1 on an attack roll with a firearm or crossbow, your weapon catastrophically misfires. Choose one of the following outcomes:

Chamber Rupture

The attack misses, and you take force damage equal to 1d6 + your proficiency bonus.
Until the start of your next turn, you have disadvantage on the next weapon attack you make.

Overpressure Burst

The attack misses, and the weapon detonates outward. Each creature within 5 feet of you (including you) must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Powder Savant DC.

• On a failed save, a creature takes fire damage equal to 1d6 + your proficiency bonus.

• On a successful save, it takes half as much damage.

You have resistance to damage caused by your own Overpressure Burst.

Recoil Dampening

Years of handling unstable powder and brutal recoil have hardened your stance and refined your control.

• You ignore disadvantage on ranged attack rolls made with heavy firearms or crossbows while within 5 feet of a hostile creature.

• You gain resistance to fire damage. If you already have resistance to fire damage, you gain advantage on saving throws against effects that deal fire damage.

• You ignore the Loading property of firearms and crossbows you wield.

Catastrophic Load

As a bonus action, you may overload the next firearm or crossbow attack you make before the end of your turn.

If the attack hits, it deals an additional 2d8 fire damage and 2d8 force damage.

After resolving the attack’s damage, the target and each creature within 10 feet of it must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Powder Savant DC.

On a failed save, a creature takes force damage equal to the 2d8 force damage rolled for this attack.
On a successful save, a creature takes half as much force damage.

If the attack misses, the weapon catastrophically backfires. You take force damage equal to half the total damage you would have dealt with this attack, including your normal weapon damage and the additional damage from this feature (rounded down).

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Grand Display

When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with a firearm or crossbow attack, you may cause the target to violently detonate in a burst of residual powder.

Each creature of your choice within 15 feet of the target must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Powder Savant DC.

On a failed save, a creature takes fire damage equal to your Fighter level. 

On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage. 

You may use this feature a number of times per turn equal to your Strength modifier (minimum of once).

Advanced Pyrotechnics

Your mastery of powder allows you to shape your detonations with deliberate intent.

When you trigger Grand Display, you may expend one Powder Charge to apply one of the following effects to that detonation. You may apply only one additional effect per detonation.

Shockwave Collapse 

Creatures that fail their Dexterity saving throw against Grand Display are knocked prone.

Dreadful Spectacle

Creatures that fail their Dexterity saving throw against Grand Display must also succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your Powder Savant DC or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn.

Shrapnel Surge

Creatures that fail their Dexterity saving throw against Grand Display take additional fire damage equal to your Strength modifier.

Powder Reclamation

If a creature is reduced to 0 hit points by Grand Display’s damage, you regain one expended Powder Charge.

Master of Powder

 

Your command of explosive force is absolute. You no longer gamble with destruction — you direct it. You gain the following benefits:

Perfect Containment

You are immune to damage caused by your Powder Savant features.

Refined Catastrophe

When you roll a natural 1 on an attack roll with a firearm or crossbow, the attack misses, but instead of choosing an outcome from Uhhhhh… Oops?, you automatically trigger Overpressure Burst, and:

• You take no damage from this effect.

• The radius of the burst increases by 10 feet.

This Overpressure Burst does not expend a Powder Charge.

 

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Escalating Detonation

When you use a Powder Savant feature that deals damage, you may expend additional Powder Charges to amplify it.

For each additional Powder Charge expended:

• Increase the radius of the effect by 5 feet, or

• Increase one damage roll of the effect by 1d8.

You may expend a maximum number of additional charges equal to your Strength modifier per feature.

Total Annihilation

When you use your Action Surge feature, you may choose to unleash a devastating discharge.

You expend all remaining Powder Charges. Choose a point you can see within your weapon’s normal range. Each creature of your choice within a radius equal to 10 feet + 5 feet per charge expended must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Powder Savant DC.

On a failed save, a creature takes force damage equal to:

8d8 + 2d8 per Powder Charge expended.

On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage.

Once you use this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.