Arcanist

Some spellcasters seek the secrets of magic, pursuing the power to make the impossible possible. Others are born with magic in their blood, commanding unbelievable forces as effortlessly as they breathe. Yet still others seek to meld the science of arcane scholars with the natural might of innate casters. These arcanists seek to discover the mysterious laws of magic and through will and expertise bend those forces to their whims. Arcanists are the shapers and tinkers of the arcane world, and no magic can resist their control.

Arcanists are scholars of all things magical. They constantly seek out new forms of magic to discover how they work, and in many cases, to collect the energy of such magic for their own uses. Many arcanists are seen as reckless, more concerned with the potency of magic than the ramifications of unleashing such power.

Arcanists use Intelligence as their main spell casting ability but also get bonuses off of Charisma for their class features and some arcane exploits & metamagics.

 

NOTE: this is my attempt at an Arcanist inspired from pathfinder. As of right now this is a base template for this class and i still have to add options.

I will be doing the following before i consider this "Finished";

Balancing (probably alot of it)

Adding more "Arcane Exploit" Options

Adding more Bloodline Development options (Which I'm using 5e bloodlines for)

Adding more "Intensive study" options

Adding more "Greater Arcane Exploit" options

 

My goal is to have a highly customizable option that can be played many times in diffrent ways. Please feel free to leave any comments of constructive criticism as this is my first Homebrew class ever. Trying to get it prepared in time for my next campaign =)

Arcane Reservoir

An arcanist has an innate pool of magical energy that they can draw upon to fuel her arcanist exploits and enhance their spells. The arcanist’s arcane reservoir can hold a maximum amount of magical energy equal to the arcanist’s level + their Charisma modifier. After every long rest, when preparing spells, the arcanist’s arcane reservoir fills with raw magical energy, refilling any expended points that may have been used. They can also regain these points by consuming spells and some arcanist exploits. The arcane reservoir can never hold more points than the maximum amount noted above; points gained in excess of this total are lost.

Points from the arcanist reservoir are used to fuel many of the arcanist’s powers and meta magic feats, and Arcane Exploits you learn as you reach higher levels

Flexible Casting

You can use your Arcane Reservoir to gain additional spell slots, or sacrifice spell slots to gain additional Arcane Reservoir. You learn other ways to use your Arcane Reservoir as you reach higher levels.

Focused Spell

The arcanist can expend 1 point from their arcane reservoir as a bonus action whenever they cast a arcanist spell. If they do, you can choose to increase the caster level by 1 or increase the spell’s DC by 2. She can expend no more than 1 point from her reservoir on a given spell in this way.

Example. If you cast Ice Knife as a level one spell you can consume one arcane energy point to cast it as a level two spell and receive the benefits listed in the spells description. or you can raise the DC by a flat 2 point (DC 15 reflex save becomes DC 17 reflex save)

You must declare this with the spell and happen together as 1 action.

Creating Spell Slots. You can transform unexpended Arcane Reservoir into one spell slot as a bonus action on your turn. The Creating Spell Slots table shows the cost of creating a spell slot of a given level. You can create spell slots no higher in level than 5th.

Any spell slot you create with this feature vanishes when you finish a long rest.

SPELL SLOT LEVEL	ARCANE ENERGY COST
1st	2
2nd	3
3rd	4
4th	5
5th	6

 

Arcane Exploits

By bending and sometimes even breaking the rules of magic, the arcanist learns to exploit gaps and exceptions in the laws of magic. Some of these exploits allow them to break down various forms of magic by adding essence from their arcane reservoir. 

You gain two arcane exploits at levels 2, and one at levels 6, 8, and 10. They can choose a metamagics instead of exploits. An arcanist exploit cannot be selected more than once unless otherwise specified. Once an arcanist exploit has been selected, it cannot be changed. Most arcanist exploits require the arcanist to expend points from their arcane reservoir to function. 

*(Metamagic) Careful Spell

When you cast a spell that forces other creatures to make a saving throw, you can protect some of those creatures from the spell’s full force. To do so, you spend 1 arcane energy point and choose a number of those creatures up to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one creature). A chosen creature automatically succeeds on its saving throw against the spell.

*(Metamagic) Distant Spell

When you cast a spell that has a range of 5 feet or greater, you can spend 1 sorcery point to double the range of the spell.

When you cast a spell that has a range of touch, you can spend 1 sorcery point to make the range of the spell 30 feet.

*(Metamagic) Empowered Spell

When you roll damage for a spell, you can spend 1 sorcery point to reroll a number of the damage dice up to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one). You must use the new rolls.

You can use Empowered Spell even if you have already used a different Metamagic option during the casting of the spell.

*(Metamagic) Extended Spell

When you cast a spell that has a duration of 1 minute or longer, you can spend 1 sorcery point to double its duration, to a maximum duration of 24 hours.

*(Metamagic) Heightened Spell

When you cast a spell that forces a creature to make a saving throw to resist its effects, you can spend 3 sorcery points to give one target of the spell disadvantage on its first saving throw made against the spell.

*(Metamagic) Quickened Spell

When you cast a spell that has a casting time of 1 action, you can spend 2 sorcery points to change the casting time to 1 bonus action for this casting.

*(Metamagic) Subtle Spell

When you cast a spell, you can spend 1 sorcery point to cast it without any somatic or verbal components.

*(Metamagic) Twinned Spell

When you cast a spell that targets only one creature and doesn’t have a range of self, you can spend a number of arcane energy points equal to the spell’s level to target a second creature in range with the same spell (1 arcane energy point if the spell is a cantrip).

Bloodline Development

The arcanist selects one sorcerer bloodline upon taking this exploit. The arcanist gains that bloodline's 1st-level  powers.

 As a bonus action, the arcanist can expend 1 point from their arcane reservoir to bolster their latent nature, allowing them to treat their arcanist level as their sorcerer level for the purpose of using this ability, which lasts for a number of rounds equal to their CHA modifier (minimum 1). 

IMPORTANT: In order for bloodlines to show up on your sheet you must click "Bloodline Development" in "OPTIONAL FEATURE MANAGER" which will enter a drop list to select the bloodline you want
AFTER you selected your bloodline go back to "OPTIONAL FEATURE MANAGER" and click the bloodline you selected

I have set the proper perquisites so you can make yourself have every bloodline.

Intensive Study

As an arcanist focuses on their studies and hones their craft so they become adept at it. Choose one arcane study

Historian

You have a unique interest in history. You have studied quite extensively about various time periods. Gain +2 to History skill checks. Twice a day you can roll with advantage on history checks

Linguistics

Magic tomes are written in many languages so learning a few extra languages will come in handy. Pick 2 languages, you know how to read, write and speak these languages.

Religious Studies

Although religion may not be what drives you that doesn't mean you cant understand the correlation between magic and the gods. Gain a +2 on all Religion checks and you can roll with advantage twice per long rest

Theory of Arcana

The study of the arcane, its your passion no obsession. Gain a +2 on all Arcana checks and you can roll with advantage twice per long rest

Understanding of Magical Essence

You have learned how to sense and see other sources of magic with ease. When selecting this ability you learn Advanced Detect Magic as a Bonus action. 

Advanced Detect Magic

For the duration, you sense the presence of magic within 60 feet of you. If you sense magic in this way, you can use your action or bonus action to see a faint aura around any visible creature or object in the area that bears magic, and you learn its school of magic, if any.

The spell can penetrate most barriers, but it is blocked by 3 feet of stone, 2 inches of common metal, 1 inch sheet of lead, or 9 feet of wood or dirt.

This spell takes up your concentration which you can concentrate for up to 10 minutes. You can use this as a Bonus action three times per long rest

Greater Exploits

Empowered by both knowledge and mastery of arcane energy you gain the ability to exploit magic even further 

You get to pick a greater arcanist exploit at the following levels 10, 16

Suffering Knowledge

The arcanist can learn to cast a spell by suffering from its effects. When the arcanist fails a saving throw against a spell cast by an enemy, as a reaction they can expend 1 point from her arcane reservoir to temporarily acquire the spell. They can cast the spell using their spell slots as if it was a spell they had prepared it that day. The spell must be of a level that they can cast. The ability to cast this spell remains for a number of rounds equal to the arcanist’s CHA modifier (minimum 1).

Arcane Restoration

At 14th level, you regain 4 expended arcane energy points whenever you finish a short rest.