Dirgecaller

Dirgecallers are stalwart dwarves who fiercely protect their kin and realms. They are dwarf wizards who have mastered a school of combat that is deeply rooted in a tradition of arcane magic. In battle, a Dirgecaller employs a series of powerful, calculated maneuvers that repel danger and enable the Dirgecaller to infuse magic into overwhelming attacks and a shrewd defense.

Wielding the mighty urgrosh, a traditional dwarven weapon that is both axe and spear, Dirgecallers stand as the vanguard against threats. Their mastery over the urgrosh is not merely physical but also mystical, as they channel their potent spells through the weapon’s dual blades, cleaving through arcane and armor alike.

The Dirgecallers’ chants and incantations echo through the halls of stone, a somber reminder of the ancient power they command. With each swing of the urgrosh, they weave a tapestry of destruction, their spells harmonizing with the rhythm of combat to strike fear into the hearts of their foes.

From its inception as a martial and magical art, Dirgecalling has been tied to the urgrosh, more specifically the original dwarven urgrosh, as the gnomish imitation is rarely durable enough. Generations of study and practice have given rise to various styles of Dirgecalling based on the melee weapon employed. These techniques are passed from master to students in small schools, some of which boast a fortress-like structure dedicated to instruction. Even the newest styles are centuries old, but are still taught by their original creators due to the long lives of dwarves. Most schools of Dirgecalling are found in the deep halls of Zenbotous or the undermountain fortresses of Durgarn Gundalok. One was established in the ancient city of Morndinzen, but its fall has dispersed those students who survived.

Styles of Dirgecalling are broadly categorized based on the type of weapon employed, and each is associated with a category of metal. Within that style are specializations named after specific alloy types, based on the types of spells employed, the techniques of the master, and the particular weapon used. Dirgecallers who apprentice to a master typically engrave their chosen style’s metals' rune and their own name into their weapon. Weapons passed from master to apprentice often bear the names of each wielder, and a mote of their power. Some Dirgecallers learn multiple styles and etch many symbols, bearing a testament on their weapon of their deadly skills.

Gold. Styles that employ the urgrosh belong to this family. The Gold style, the eldest, trains practitioners in the use of the urgrosh and doesn’t favor any particular type of spells. Electrum style focuses on the shorter end of the urgrosh and spells of fortification and defense. Pinchbeck, a style just three centuries old, has its Dirgecallers using the urgrosh in a steadfast stance from which they launch into powerful thrusts and swings interspersed with Illusions.

Iron. Styles that focus on the use of a hammer, pick, or handaxe have been grouped together as Iron styles, yet they vary greatly. All relatively new styles, they use weapons often favored by dwarves without The Gift. Steel-style Dirgecallers use war hammers, and many maneuvers in the style focus on solid ways to crush the enemy and draw forth the magic within themselves at once. Rust style uses a pick, and spells associated with it grant the Dirgecaller more options in opening hardened foes to assault.

Copper. Practitioners of these styles use a mace, flail, or chain. Brass style uses a flail, despite its rarity as a weapon, and has almost as long a history as the Electrum style the third oldest of the dirgecalling styles. Its masters punctuate their dirgecalling with a thunderous rhythm of chain swings, which can keep many foes at a distance and allow the Dirgecaller space to cast the harsh spells of metal and earth favored by the style.

Restriction: Dwarves Only

Only dwarves can choose the Dirgecaller arcane tradition as it utilizes traits and equipment unique to Dwarven people. In the world of Alden, dwarves jealously guard the secrets of their mystically attuned combat. Your DM can lift this restriction to better suit the campaign. The restriction reflects the story of Dirgecallers on Alden Island, but it might not apply to your DM’s setting or your DM’s version of Alden.

Training in War and Song

When you embrace the Dirgecaller tradition at 2nd level, you gain proficiency with heavy armor and shields, reflecting the dwarven resilience and their tradition of battle in the depths of the earth. You also gain proficiency with a onehanded weapon of your choice, generally a revered dwarven weapon that symbolizes your commitment to the ancient ways of Dirgecalling. Additionally, if you are not already proficient in the Performance skill, you gain this proficiency, which represents your ability to channel the power of your ancestors through chants, song, and rhythmic combat that resonate through the stone halls of your homeland.

Dirgecalling

Starting at 2nd level, you can tap into a secret dwarven magic known as Dirgecalling, provided that you are wearing heavy armor and do not expend any movement on your turn. This ancient chant imbues you with supernatural endurance, strength, and concentration. You can use a bonus action to initiate the Dirgecall, which lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are incapacitated, if you doff your heavy armor, or if you use two hands to make an attack with a weapon. You can also end the Dirgecall at any time you choose (no action required).

While your Dirgecall is active, you gain the following benefits:

• You gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1).
• You reduce all damage you receive by 3, if an attack's damage is reduced to 0 in this way it is considered a missed attack.
• You have advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks.
• You gain a bonus to any Constitution saving throw you make to maintain your concentration on a spell. The bonus equals your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1).

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Arcane Battle Rhythm

At 6th level, the dirgecaller begins to tap into the rhythm of battle through their arcane experience, a relentless pulse of the deep earth. This rhythm is not one of motion, but of the steadfast beat of an unbreakable will. When dirgecalling, your weapon becomes an extension of this rhythm, allowing you to deliver two devastating blows in the time it would normally take to land one. If you are dirgecalling you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the attack action on your turn. Moreover, you can cast one of your cantrips in place of one of those attacks. The rhythm fortifies your resolve, granting you advantage on saving throws against any effect that would move you against your will. The Arcane Battle Rhythm is the dirgecaller’s resolution made manifest, a testament to the unyielding nature of the dwarven soul.

Arcane Syphon Ward

Beginning at 10th level, your mastery of dirgecalling allows you to interweave protective magic with your combat rhythm. While dirgecalling, casting a spell enables you to bolster your defenses by harnessing the spell’s energy. Multiply the level of the spell cast by 2 and add that number to the damage reduction granted by dirgecalling. This enhanced protection lasts until the start of your next turn. For instance, casting a 3rd-level spell would provide an additional 6 points of damage reduction.

Rhythm Warp

At 14th level, you’ve honed your dirgecalling to a point where you can momentarily phase through the ethereal plane in time with your dirge. Once on each of your turns as a free action, you can cast Misty Step without expending a spell slot. This ability allows you to teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space that you can see, enhancing your tactical positioning while maintaining the rhythm of your dirge.