Hello, all! I'm fairly new to creating homebrew content for D&D 5e, but I felt particularly inspired by the latest Pokémon game to create a wizard subclass loosely based on it. I tried to look at the Beast Master ranger for both inspiration and balance (though I know that that subclass isn't one regarded for its balance). Regardless, any feedback would be much appreciated!
School of Taxonomy
As a member of the School of Taxonomy, you have an unrivaled interest in the creatures that dwell in this realm and those adjacent. Unlike the Beast Master Conclave, your curiosity lies more in the categorization and description of these creatures. Some use this interest to further research of the various creatures that inhabit the world in order to understand and coexist. Others express this interest by snaring creatures that will do their bidding. Most will fall somewhere between these categories.
Field Researcher
When you adopt this tradition at 2nd level, you gain proficiency with light armor, shortbows, whips, nets, and woodcarver’s tools.
Catching Pods
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your woodcarver’s tools and arcane knowledge to create a hollow, spherical orb out of wood or like materials called a Catching Pod over the course of a short rest. Catching Pods are your primary tool for capturing creatures that you find in the wild. They count as simple ranged weapons with a normal range of 20 feet and a long range of 60 feet. You can have up to two Catching Pods containing creatures at a time.
If you find a non-humanoid creature that is no larger than Medium size and has a challenge rating of 1/4 or lower, you can attempt to capture it. Using an action, make a ranged attack against the creature. If you miss, you may retrieve the thrown Catching Pod by moving into the space the creature occupied when you threw the pod. If you hit, the creature must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC, rolling with advantage if it is above 75% of its hit point maximum and with disadvantage if it is below 25% of its hit point maximum. On a success, the creature takes 1 point of magical bludgeoning damage. On a failure, the creature is captured and contained within the pod. An unconscious creature automatically fails this saving throw. A dead creature cannot be captured.
Captured Creatures
Captured creatures have hit points and an armor class equal to those on its stat block. For every level after 2nd level you gain in this class, a captured creature gains one Hit Die, and its hit point maximum increases. To determine the amount of the increase, roll the Hit Die (the type of die appears in the creature's stat block), and add its constitution modifier. It gains a minimum of 1 hit point per level. A captured creature regains its hit points like a player would.
Captured creatures gain an Ability Score Improvement when you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level. You can increase one of a captured creature’s ability scores of your choice by 2, or you can increase two of its ability scores of your choice by 1.
As a bonus action, you can summon a captured creature from its Catching Pod or return it to its pod. You can only have one captured creature summoned at a time. The creature obeys your commands as best as it can. It takes its turn on your initiative. On your turn, you can verbally command the beast where to move (no action required by you). You can use your action to verbally command it to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, or Help action. If you don’t issue a command, the beast takes the Dodge action.
If you are incapacitated or absent, the beast acts on its own, focusing on protecting you and itself. The beast never requires your command to use its reaction, such as when making an opportunity attack.
If a captured creature is reduced to 0 hit points, it does not roll death saving throws. It instead is considered knocked out and cannot fight, automatically returning to its Catching Pod. A knocked out creature regains hit points by taking a short rest, regaining hit points equal to rolls on its hit dice, or by taking a long rest, regaining all of its hit points.
If you want to capture creatures beyond the limit of two, you must first perform a ritual over the course of 1 minute to unbind and release a captured creature from its Catching Pod.
Advances in the Field
Starting at 6th level, you can capture creatures with a challenge rating of 1/2. For every level after 4th level you gain in this class, a captured creature with a challenge rating 1/2 gains one Hit Die, and its hit point maximum increases. To determine the amount of the increase, roll the Hit Die (the type of die appears in the creature's stat block), and add its constitution modifier. It gains a minimum of 1 hit point per level.
Captured creatures with a challenge rating of 1/2 gain an Ability Score Improvement when you reach 8th level, and again at 12th, 16th, and 19th level. You can increase one of a captured creature’s ability scores of your choice by 2, or you can increase two of its ability scores of your choice by 1.
Additionally, you can now have up to three Catching Pods containing creatures at a time.
Avid Researcher
Starting at 10th level, you can capture creatures of Large size. Captured creatures of Large size gain increased hit dice and maximum hit points in accordance with their challenge rating.
Additionally, you can now have up to four Catching Pods containing creatures at a time, and your creatures’ attacks now count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Authority on Creatures
Starting at 14th level, you can command two of your captured creatures at the same time using the same action.
Additionally, you can now have up to six Catching Pods containing creatures at a time.
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Hello, all! I'm fairly new to creating homebrew content for D&D 5e, but I felt particularly inspired by the latest Pokémon game to create a wizard subclass loosely based on it. I tried to look at the Beast Master ranger for both inspiration and balance (though I know that that subclass isn't one regarded for its balance). Regardless, any feedback would be much appreciated!
School of Taxonomy
As a member of the School of Taxonomy, you have an unrivaled interest in the creatures that dwell in this realm and those adjacent. Unlike the Beast Master Conclave, your curiosity lies more in the categorization and description of these creatures. Some use this interest to further research of the various creatures that inhabit the world in order to understand and coexist. Others express this interest by snaring creatures that will do their bidding. Most will fall somewhere between these categories.
Field Researcher
When you adopt this tradition at 2nd level, you gain proficiency with light armor, shortbows, whips, nets, and woodcarver’s tools.
Catching Pods
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your woodcarver’s tools and arcane knowledge to create a hollow, spherical orb out of wood or like materials called a Catching Pod over the course of a short rest. Catching Pods are your primary tool for capturing creatures that you find in the wild. They count as simple ranged weapons with a normal range of 20 feet and a long range of 60 feet. You can have up to two Catching Pods containing creatures at a time.
If you find a non-humanoid creature that is no larger than Medium size and has a challenge rating of 1/4 or lower, you can attempt to capture it. Using an action, make a ranged attack against the creature. If you miss, you may retrieve the thrown Catching Pod by moving into the space the creature occupied when you threw the pod. If you hit, the creature must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC, rolling with advantage if it is above 75% of its hit point maximum and with disadvantage if it is below 25% of its hit point maximum. On a success, the creature takes 1 point of magical bludgeoning damage. On a failure, the creature is captured and contained within the pod. An unconscious creature automatically fails this saving throw. A dead creature cannot be captured.
Captured Creatures
Captured creatures have hit points and an armor class equal to those on its stat block. For every level after 2nd level you gain in this class, a captured creature gains one Hit Die, and its hit point maximum increases. To determine the amount of the increase, roll the Hit Die (the type of die appears in the creature's stat block), and add its constitution modifier. It gains a minimum of 1 hit point per level. A captured creature regains its hit points like a player would.
Captured creatures gain an Ability Score Improvement when you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level. You can increase one of a captured creature’s ability scores of your choice by 2, or you can increase two of its ability scores of your choice by 1.
As a bonus action, you can summon a captured creature from its Catching Pod or return it to its pod. You can only have one captured creature summoned at a time. The creature obeys your commands as best as it can. It takes its turn on your initiative. On your turn, you can verbally command the beast where to move (no action required by you). You can use your action to verbally command it to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, or Help action. If you don’t issue a command, the beast takes the Dodge action.
If you are incapacitated or absent, the beast acts on its own, focusing on protecting you and itself. The beast never requires your command to use its reaction, such as when making an opportunity attack.
If a captured creature is reduced to 0 hit points, it does not roll death saving throws. It instead is considered knocked out and cannot fight, automatically returning to its Catching Pod. A knocked out creature regains hit points by taking a short rest, regaining hit points equal to rolls on its hit dice, or by taking a long rest, regaining all of its hit points.
If you want to capture creatures beyond the limit of two, you must first perform a ritual over the course of 1 minute to unbind and release a captured creature from its Catching Pod.
Advances in the Field
Starting at 6th level, you can capture creatures with a challenge rating of 1/2. For every level after 4th level you gain in this class, a captured creature with a challenge rating 1/2 gains one Hit Die, and its hit point maximum increases. To determine the amount of the increase, roll the Hit Die (the type of die appears in the creature's stat block), and add its constitution modifier. It gains a minimum of 1 hit point per level.
Captured creatures with a challenge rating of 1/2 gain an Ability Score Improvement when you reach 8th level, and again at 12th, 16th, and 19th level. You can increase one of a captured creature’s ability scores of your choice by 2, or you can increase two of its ability scores of your choice by 1.
Additionally, you can now have up to three Catching Pods containing creatures at a time.
Avid Researcher
Starting at 10th level, you can capture creatures of Large size. Captured creatures of Large size gain increased hit dice and maximum hit points in accordance with their challenge rating.
Additionally, you can now have up to four Catching Pods containing creatures at a time, and your creatures’ attacks now count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Authority on Creatures
Starting at 14th level, you can command two of your captured creatures at the same time using the same action.
Additionally, you can now have up to six Catching Pods containing creatures at a time.