Plague Doctor (Artificer)

A young woman rushes between the fallen members of her party, empty vials and flasks trailing behind her. The wounds of her party members knitting back together, they stand again ready to continue the fight. An old elf hurls a bottle into a group of goblins while ducking behind a stone. The shattering sound of the ensuing explosion echoes throughout the valley. A small halfling rushes to the large minotaur, touching his leg, and causing lesions and sores to outbreak across his entire body as the contagion takes hold. 

The Plague Doctor is a class designed to fill a supportive de-buffing role. Utilizing diseases and healing elixirs, they contribute most by keeping the party alive and the enemies feebled.

Burgeoning Apothecary

You gain access to a selection of poultices and salves that you can apply directly through touch or bottle and throw at creatures. Their effects vary. You may select two at level 2. You gain access to additional selections as you reach levels 5, 9, 13, and 17. Furthermore, the efficacy of these potions increases as you gain levels in Plague Doctor. 

Bottled Winter

As an action, you can throw a vial of whispy drifting snowflakes at a creature, object, or surface within 30 feet of you (the vial and its contents disappear if you don’t hurl the vial by the end of the current turn). On impact, the vial detonates in a 10-foot radius sphere. Any creature in that area must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or fall prone and take 1d8 cold damage as chilling ice begins to form on any inanimate surface.

This formula’s damage increases by 1d8 when you reach certain levels in this class: 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).

Debilitating Vapors

As an action, you can hurl a vial of bottled gas at a creature, object, or surface within 30 feet of you (the vial and its contents disappear if you don’t hurl the vial by the end of the current turn). On impact, the vial ruptures and releases poisonous gas in a 5-foot radius sphere. Any creature in that area must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 1d12 poison damage.

This formula’s damage increases by 1d12 when you reach certain levels in this class: 5th level (2d12), 11th level (3d12), and 17th level (4d12).

Emboldening Miasma

As an action, you or a creature within 5 feet of you can inhale the fumes within this vial (the vial and its contents disappear if you don’t use the vial by the end of the current turn). Upon inhalation, the fumes invigorate the imbiber granting them a boon of strength and endurance for 1 minute. For the duration, the creature gains advantage on Strength and Constitution ability checks and saving throws and any attack rolls made using Strength add an additional 1d6 of the weapons damage. After the duration expires, they suffer 2 points of exhaustion as their body is addled from the experience.

Hermetic Acid

As an action, you can hurl a vial of acid at a creature or object within 30 feet of you (the vial and its contents disappear if you don’t hurl the vial by the end of the current turn). The vial shatters on impact. Roll to hit using your spell attack modifier. On a hit, the target takes 2d4 acid damage and another 1d4 at the start of their next turn. An object automatically takes that damage, and the damage is maximized.

This formula’s damage increases by 1d4 when you reach certain levels in this class: 5th level (3d4/2d4), 11th level (4d4/3d4), and 17th level (5d4/4d4).

Resplendent Tonic

As an action, you can pull out a vial of healing liquid. A creature can drink it as an action to regain 1d10 hit points. The vial then disappears. Once a creature regains hit points from this alchemical formula, the creature can’t do so again until it finishes a long rest. If not used, the vial and its contents disappear after 1 hour. While the vial exists, you can’t use this formula.

This formula’s healing increases by 1d10 when you reach certain levels in this class: 5th level (2d10), 9th level (3d10), 13th level (4d10), 17th level (5d10).

Viscous Sap

As an action, you can throw a bag filled with foul smelling, sticky sap and hurl it at a point on the ground within 30 feet of you (the bag and its contents disappear if you don’t hurl the bag by the end of the current turn). The bag bursts on impact and covers the ground in a 10-foot radius with sticky sap. That area becomes difficult terrain for 1 minute, and any creature that starts its turn on the ground in that area has its speed halved for that turn. After using this formula, you can’t do so again for 1 minute.

Plague Doctor Spells

3rd-level Plague Doctor feature

You always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Plague Doctor Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.

Plague Doctor Spells

ARTIFICER LEVEL	SPELL
3rd	bane, detect poison and disease
5th	blindness/deafness, lesser restoration
9th	feign death, revivify
13th	aura of purity, blight
17th	contagion, negative energy flood

Inoculated

Your dealings with the sick and diseased have inured you to disease. You gain immunity to disease.

Noxious Contagion

You can now taint your concoctions with some of the realms most vile diseases. Due to the nature of these plagues, a creature can only suffer from one at a time. These diseases last until the end of your next turn. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or suffer from one of the following options of your choice:

Burning Fever

The mind of the creature is assaulted with virulent intent. The creature fails to distinguish friend from foe and acts as if under the Confusion spell on its turn.

Dissonant Coma

The creature falls into a deep, trance like state. On its turn, it does nothing as if under the Stunned condition.

Festering Wounds

Decay erupts from the flesh of the victim, coursing through their body and wracking it with pain. The creature has vulnerability to all damage for the duration.

Vicious Pox

Erupting ulcers and sores break out across the creatures body. Any attack rolls it makes are made with disadvantage.

Vile Putrescence

The creature is wracked with vomitous purpose. Any attempts to speak or cast spells with verbal components are thwarted by the rising viscera.

Violent Lethargy

The creature suffers from the exhaustion of fighting. If the creature uses an action to attack, make a physical ability check (Strength or Dexterity), or dash, it suffers 1 level of exhaustion.

Virulent Pandemic

You can now spread your Noxious Contagion ability to another creature within 5 feet of an affected creature as part of the attack. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw or suffer the same disease as the target of your Noxious Contagion ability.

Plague Bearer

Your Noxious Contagions ability can now cause two effects to take place. You may choose a second disease from your Noxious Contagion ability and apply it to the victim as usual. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw for each effect. Additionally, your Noxious Contagions now have a duration of 7 days unless cured by magical means. Finally, whenever a creature is infected with your Noxious Contagion. Any additional symptoms it gains as a result of class features or spells like Contagion are resisted with disadvantage.