The Chainweaver

Chainweavers are an esoteric group of arcanists who study and train in a manner strongly reminiscent of Monks, and are often mistaken for them--particularly when preaching about their beliefs. The Chainweavers believe, strongly, in the idea that all things are bound together through the Weave, and that the way these binds tie, tangle, and break is what allows magic to manifest in the world. As a representation of these connections, Chainweavers eschew the use of spellbooks and traditional arcane foci, preferring instead to record their spells into bindings of various types, which double as their focus for spellcasting. Novices begin by writing their spells on cloth bandages, while more advanced students learn to record their spells within lengths of rope. Only once a student is ready to become a journeyman do they earn the right, and learn the ability, to etch their spells into chains, which they wear as vestments at all times. It is not uncommon to see Chainweavers with diverse collections of chains, of different make and design, as a way to display their experience and travels.

Vestments of Chain

When you adopt this tradition at 2nd level, you gain the ability to bind spells into chains worn on the body as vestments, which act as both your spellbook and arcane focus. The nature of wearing chains across your body, along with your diligent training in their use for spellcasting, bolsters your defense as the metal links can be used to block and deflect attacks, granting you a +1 bonus to AC.

You gain proficiency with Jeweler's Tools, if you don't have it already, which include the engraving tools needed to carve spells into your chain vestments.

Chain Strike

Your chain vestments are imbued with magical power, and you have been trained to use them for both arcane uses and melee combat. You can whip the chains out to strike at an opponent within 5ft of you, releasing stored arcane power on impact to deal force damage equal to 1d4 + your WIS modifier.

You gain an additional 1d4 at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels

Binds in the Weave

As a 6th Level Chainweaver, you understand how all things are connected, can become connected, and can become disconnected through the Weave, and focus your studies on one of three methods of manipulating those connections.

Anchoring

Once per Short Rest, as an action, you can choose a creature you can see within 30ft to attempt to anchor in place using the Weave. Unwilling creatures must succeed in a STR (Athletics) or DEX (Acrobatics) check, contested by your INT (Arcana) check, or become anchored. Glowing, ethereal chains materialize from the creature's body and their surroundings until they connect, and any creature successfully anchored in this way is considered restrained, and becomes immovable. As the arcane chains are bound to the essence of the creature within the Weave, they cannot free themselves by means of transformation (such as Gaseous Form) or teleportation (such as Dimension Door). This effect lasts for 1d8 rounds, or until the anchoring effect is broken by a successful STR (Athletics) or DEX (Acrobatics) check vs. your INT (Arcana) check, which the creature can use their action to attempt. A successful Dispel Magic spell will also end this effect.

Severing

Once per Short Rest, as an action, you can choose a creature you can see within 30ft to attempt to sever from the material world. Unwilling creatures must succeed on a WIS saving throw or have their connection severed. Affected creatures are ripped away from the plane they were on, and thrust into the Border Ethereal (see; Etherealness) for 1d8 rounds, or until they make a successful WIS saving throw, which they can do at the end of each of their turns. This ability has no effect if you are on the Ethereal Plane, or a plane that doesn't border it, such as one of the Outer Planes.

Tangling

Once per Short Rest, as an action, you can choose a creature you can see within 30ft and attempt to tangle their connection to the weave, disrupting their ability to use magic. Unwilling creatures must make an INT saving throw or have their connection tangled. Affected creatures have all of their attempts to cast spells or use magical abilities go awry, forcing them to roll on the Wild Magic Surge table with each attempt, which lasts for 1d8 rounds, or until they succeed in an INT saving throw, which they can make at the end of each of their turns.

Weave Sense

Starting at 10th level, you can tap into the Weave and use it to improve your awareness and understanding of the world around you. When you do so, choose one of the following benefits, which lasts until you are incapacitated or you take a short or long rest. You can't use the feature again until you finish a rest.

• Detect Magic You gain the ability to Detect Magic for the duration of the Weave Sense ability, without the need to Concentrate on it

• Blindsight You gain the Blindsight ability out to 30ft for the duration of the Weave Sense ability, without the need to Concentrate on it

• Arcane Adjustment You can determine what spell is being cast, and what the target of that spell is, within 30ft, and can pull at the Weave between the spell caster and their target to make it more difficult for the caster to succeed. Affected casters have Disadvantage on any rolls they make to hit with a spell, when applicable, and their targets have Advantage on any saving throws against those spells, when applicable. This effect lasts for the duration of the Weave Sense ability.

Arcane Marionettist

Starting at 14th level, you gain the ability to manipulate people using the Weave. You can choose up to 3 creatures within 60ft and attempt to gain control of them as if using the Dominate Person spell. If any of the chosen creatures succeed in their Wisdom saving throw, they take 2d10 psychic damage as they attempt to shrug off its dominating effect.