Arcane Infusors

    Those skilled enough to follow the path of the summoner are tinkerers, conjurers, and naturalists eager to make bonds with other creatures. A summoner uses magic in a way to reach out to other spirits and call to them, bonding with them and forming powerful connections. In any situation, a summoner knows who or what to invoke to help them with their task. Their deep connection with all living things makes summoners instantly welcome in any magical circle.

Spider in the Web

    A summoner rarely does anything themselves - instead they know exactly how to exploit a system using their extensive knowledge of tricks and cheats. Instead of breaking down a door, for example, a summoner might choose to connect with a thievish spirit and briefly learn how to pick a lock. In combat, a summoner calls forth the power of a devastating monster to act in his stead as he rushes forth to attack the next enemy. The creatures a summoner calls are not mind-controlled by him, merely one of many that chose to accept the call for help.

SUMMONER FEATURES

HIT POINTS

Hit Die: d8

Hit Points at 1st level: 8 + your Constitution modifier

Hit Points at higher levels: 1d8 (or 8) + your Constitution modifier per Summoner level after 1st

PROFICIENCIES

Armour: Light armour

Weapons: Simple and finesse weapons

Tools: None

Saving Throws: Charisma, Intelligence

Skills: Choose three from: Arcana, Deception, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Perception, Persuasion, or Sleight of Hand

EQUIPMENT

• Studded leather armour and a dagger
• (a) a shortsword or (b) any simple weapon
• (a) an explorer’s pack or (b) a scholar’s pack
• One set of artisan’s tools (related to your Mystic Nexus)

Mystic Nexus

At 1st level, choose a Mystic Nexus: Anvilite Nexus, Fauna Nexus or Soul Nexus. This nexus is the group or circle of summoners to which you belong. You studied under one of these nexi, and although they share the concept of invocation, their methods vary drastically. Your Mystic Nexus is detailed at the end of the class description.

Spellcasting

You have learnt how to cast basic spells from your learning in the Nexi. You know 2 cantrips and a number of spells equal to half your spell slots for that level rounded up. (A level 8 Summoner knows 3 cantrips, 2 1st level spells and 1 2nd level spell.) Choose from the Wizard spell list. The number of spells you know and the spell slots you have are detailed in the Summoner table.

Spell Save DC: 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Spell Attack Bonus: Your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Summoning

Also at 1st level, you gain the power of Summoning. You can summon beasts, fey, and plants. As an action, you can expend a spell slot to summon a creature of the types listed above. The CR of that creature cannot exceed the level of the spell slot you used. The creature of your choice appears within 30 feet of you and is friendly towards you and your companions. It takes no actions and only defends itself. You can, however, command it to complete an action listed on it’s stat block or a simple action (move over there, pick that item up etc), which you convey telepathically as a bonus action. The creature lasts for one hour or until dismissed, it dies, or you are reduced to 0 hit points.

You can have any number of minions up to half your proficiency bonus at once. You can only summon and control one per turn, however.

Invoke Spirits

At level 2, you have learnt how to call upon other spirits to aid you. As an action, you can briefly become proficient with any tool or weapon for 1 minute. You can do this a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier per long or short rest.

Minion Improvement

Your minions become more powerful as you grow stronger. At level 3, each creature you summon gains one feature of your choice below:

• Bolstered Resistance: Each minion has +1 bonus to AC
• Vicious Attacks: Each minion has a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls
• Uncanny Resilience: Each minion has an extra number of hit points equal to your proficiency bonus

Bond with Life

At level 7, you have gained a mystical bond with all living things. Beasts and plants do not regard you (and only you) as hostile until you or your friends attack them. Additionally, when you summon a beast, plant, or fey, you gain temporary hit points equal to the CR of the creature you summoned.

Minion Improvement

Your minions become more powerful as you grow stronger. At level 9, each creature you summon gains one feature of your choice below:

• Agile: Each minion’s walking speed increases by 10 feet
• Empowered Strikes: Each minion’s attacks deal extra damage equal to their CR (rounded up)
• Elemental Affinity: Each minion gains resistance to one damage type (excluding bludgeoning, piercing and slashing)

Beguile

At level 13, your knowledge of spirits allows you to influence a person to be partially under your control. As an action, you can charm or frighten a creature that can hear you. They must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a successful save, they are immune to this effect for 24 hours. Alternatively, you can cast charm monster without consuming a spell slot and with only verbal components.

Minion Improvement

Your minions become more powerful as you grow stronger. At level 17, each creature you summon gains one feature of your choice below:

• Sacrifice: You can use your reaction when you take damage to transfer damage to a minion. You can transfer up to twice your level’s worth of damage per long or short rest, and cannot transfer more damage than the minion’s current Hit Points.
• Regenerative: Each minion regains hit points equal to twice it’s CR at the start of its turn.

Superior Bond

Your mystic bond with living things enhances. At 18th level, you are immune to poison and disease, and can communicate with any living being that speaks at least one language. (This does not include constructs and undead.) The amount of hit points gained from your Bond with Nature feature doubles.

Spirit Guardian

At 20th level, when you roll initiative and have no spell slots, you regain one of each level.

MYSTIC NEXUS SUBCLASS

ANVILITE NEXUS

The followers of this nexus are forgers, blacksmiths and tinkerers. They choose to breathe life into inanimate creations, crafting metallurgy as an art form and weapon of war. The minions created by Anvilites are efficient, unquestioning and mindless. Straightforward and to the point, the experimental curiosity of an Anvilite Summoner is a path of discovery and artifice.

Extra Proficiency

When you choose this subclass at 1st level, you gain proficiency with tinkers tools. You add them to your starting equipment as well.

Anvilite Summoning

You can summon constructs as well as the normal summoning types. Instead of summoning creatures, you can choose to summon an automaton instead. When you have your automaton summoned, you cannot summon any more creatures, and all other creatures under your control disappear. The automaton counts as a Large CR 1 creature and increases in power as you level up.

• AUTOMATON

CR 1

20 HP / 16 AC

Speed 30 feet

Immunity to psychic and poison damage

Mechanical Mount - The automaton counts as a mount, but does not need to rest. When riding it, you have half-cover.

Actions: Slam: Melee weapon attack. Range 10 feet, one target. +6 to hit, 1d8 bludgeoning damage.

Magical Enhancements

Your automaton increases in strength. At level 6, it now counts as a CR 2 creature. It’s weapon attacks are magical, and it has the following stat block:

• AUTOMATON

CR 2

55 HP / 17 AC

Speed 30 feet

Immunity to psychic and poison damage

Mechanical Mount - The automaton counts as a mount, but does not need to rest. When riding it, you have half-cover.

Actions:

Slam: Melee weapon attack. Range 10 feet, one target. +6 to hit, 3d8 bludgeoning damage.

Blade: Melee weapon attack. Range 10 feet, one target. +7 to hit, 2d8 slashing damage.

Forgemaster

At level 10, your knowledge of metallurgy empowers your attacks. Whenever you make a weapon attack with or without your automaton, you can infuse the weapon with the searing heat of the forge and deal an extra 2d6 fire damage. This damage bypasses resistance but not immunity.

Ultimaton

Your automaton has reached perfection. At level 14, it counts as a CR 3 creature.

• AUTOMATON

CR 3

84 HP / 20 AC

Speed 35 feet

Immunity to psychic and poison damage

Mechanical Mount - The automaton counts as a mount, but does not need to rest. When riding it, you have half-cover. The automaton can lift twice it’s normal carrying capacity.

Actions:

Slam: Melee weapon attack. Range 15 feet, one target. +8 to hit, 3d8 bludgeoning damage.

Blade: Melee weapon attack. Range 15 feet, one target. +8 to hit, 3d8 slashing damage.

When the automaton is reduced to 0 hit points, it explodes, dealing 10d6 force damage to each creature apart from yourself within 30 feet of it.

FAUNA NEXUS

The Fauna nexus believes in harmony with nature and protection of the living world. Druids and rangers often frequent with those who walk the way of the Fauna nexus, as their tie with living creatures is extremely potent. Faunas seek not to conquer nature and understand it, but to exist in perfect balance with life. To follow this path is to work with the creatures you summon, not control them.

Extra Proficiency

When you choose this subclass at level 1, you gain proficiency with herbalism kits. You add them to your starting equipment as well.

Fauna Summoning

You can summon monstrosities as well as the normal summoning types. When you summon a creature, you can control multiple at once. When you use your bonus action to direct a creature, you can direct another creature at the same time with the same command.

One with the Beast

When you have a creature summoned, you can choose to enter it’s perspective. At level 6, you can see and hear as if you were that creature. When you do so, you see and hear with the traits that creature has (for example, you gain darkvision if you see through a creature that has darkvision). Additionally, your preternatural senses mean that you cannot be surprised.

Horde

Your summoning capabilities can unleash a destructive natural power, opening a gateway for a few seconds for an overwhelming horde to rush through. At level 10, you can open a gateway that unleashes a massive swarm of creatures of all sorts as an action. Each creature in a 10 x 50 line beginning from your space takes 8d10 bludgeoning damage, which counts as magical. The horde then disappears. You must take a long or short rest before you can use this feature again.

Nature’s Weave

At level 14, your connection with living creatures enhances drastically. When you command a creature you have summoned, all the creatures of that type complete the same directive as well. When you make a weapon attack and are within 10 feet of a creature you summoned, you score a critical hit on an 18-20.

SOUL NEXUS

A member of the Soul nexus draws out the life from living things to feed themselves and their minions. They toy with the powers of undeath and always hunger for the life force of the creatures they fight. A Soul nexi is not necessarily evil, for they fight evil, but their methods and bloodlust make most folk see no difference between them and their foes. This is a difficult path of sacrifice for the greater good.

Extra Proficiency

When you choose this subclass at level 1, you gain proficiency with medicine kits or alchemy kits. You add one of them to your starting equipment as well.

Soul Summoning

You can summon undead as well as the normal summoning types. Whenever you or one of your minions reduces a foe to 0 hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Intelligence modifier + your Charisma modifier.

Phantom Grasp

At level 6, when you make a weapon attack, the souls of your past victims emanate from the weapon. You deal an extra 1d6 necrotic damage. At level 14, this damage increases to 2d6.

Revel In Death

At level 10, at any point when an ally, minion or yourself is reduced to 0 hit points, you enter a ghastly frenzy. If you were reduced to 0 hit points, you drop to 1 instead. You then make 1d4 - 1 weapon attacks and can move your speed (in any order), regardless of whose turn it was. You can use this feature once per dawn.

Dark Reaper

Your ghostly powers have grown tremendously. Your Phantom Grasp damage increases to 2d6. Additionally, whenever you summon an undead creature, it acts of its own accord (does not need to be commanded). It is friendly to you and hostile to your enemies, sharing your turn in the initiative order.