When the Weave shattered during the Spellplague, magic scattered like shards of glass across reality. Aether is what leaked through the cracks — raw, unstable essence that lingered in bloodlines touched by that catastrophe. Most can’t feel it. You can. You don’t draw from the Weave like a wizard or sorcerer. You ignite the dormant Aether that flows through you — a remnant of the world’s reconstruction. Every strike, every motion, becomes a point of focus for that ancient energy. You don’t cast spells. You shape power directly through instinct, emotion, and motion.

Aether Conduit

3rd level Aether Warrior feature

You can channel Aether — the remnant energy of the Spellplague era — through your body and weapon.

Aether Reservoir.
You gain a number of Aether Charges equal to your Intelligence modifier + proficiency bonus You regain all expended charges when you short or long rest.

Some of your features expend Aether Charges. You can never have more Aether Charges than your maximum, and you can’t expend more than half your Fighter level (rounded up) in Aether Charges during a single turn.

Aether Sensitivity.
Aether is drawn to the weave as it wishes to reunite with it. This allows you to sense lingering traces of magic. You can cast Detect Magic at will.

Aether Empowerments

3rd level Aether Warrior feature

As you level up you shall unlock new ways to use you Aether. You learn two uses at level 3, two more at level 8, another at level 13, and you last use is learned at level 18.

If you score a critical hit, you regain 1 expended Aether Charge.

Aether Guard

When you are hit by a weapon or spell attack, you can use your reaction to expend Aether, increasing your AC by 1 per charge spent until the start of your next turn, potentially turning the attack into a miss. If you spent more than one charge and the attack still hits, you gain temporary hit points equal to half the number of charges spent at the start of your next turn.

Aether Step

As part of the Attack action, you may expend Aether to teleport 5 feet per charge spent to an unoccupied space you can see. If you teleport adjacent to a creature, you gain advantage on your next attack against it before the end of your next turn. You can use this option only once per turn.

Aetheric Action

On your turn, you may expend 5 Aether Charges to gain an additional action. This action follows the same rules as your Action Surge feature, and the two effects can be used together. You can’t use Aetheric Action more than once per turn.

Aetheric Cataclysm

You may use your action to expend all of your remaining Aether Charges, ignoring the cap on Aetheric charges per turn, to release your full power in a cascading surge. Choose one point within 60 feet of you that you can see. A sphere of unstable energy expands from that point to a 20-foot radius. All hostile creatures in the area must make a Constitution saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier). On a failed save, a creature takes 2d10 force damage per Aether Charge spent, is pushed 15 feet away from the center, and is knocked prone. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and isn’t pushed or knocked prone.

If you expended 7 or more Aether Charges, the blast tears open a lingering rift of volatile energy that lasts until the end of combat. Any hostile creature that starts its turn within the rift or enters it for the first time on a turn takes force damage equal to your Intelligence modifier and must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be restrained until the end of its next turn. After using this ability, you cannot use any Aetheric abilities until you finish a short or long rest.

Aetheric Maelstrom

When you hit with a weapon attack, you may expend any number of Aether Charges to unleash a swirling field of volatile energy. All hostile creatures of your choice within 10 feet of the target must make a Strength saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier). On a failed save, they take 1d10 force damage per charge spent and are pushed 10 feet away from the target. On a successful save, they take half damage and are not pushed. If you spend 5 or more charges, the shockwave lingers. Until the start of your next turn:

• The affected area around the target becomes difficult terrain for enemies.
• Any hostile creature that enters the area, starts its turn there, or moves 5 feet within it takes force damage equal to your Intelligence modifier.

Force Pulse

When you make a weapon attack, you may expend Aether, causing your weapon to glow with concentrated energy. Your attack counts as magical for overcoming resistances and deals an additional 1d6 force damage per charge spent.

Gravity Crush

As an action, you may expend Aether to target a creature you can see within 120 feet. The target must make a Strength saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier). On a failed save, the target’s movement speed is halved until the start of your next turn and it takes 1d6 force damage per charge spent. On a successful save, it takes half damage and is not slowed.

Gravity Lash

As a bonus action, you can expend Aether to pull a creature you can see within 60 feet closer to you. The target must make a Strength saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier) or be pulled 5 feet per charge spent and knocked prone. On a success, it is pulled half the distance (rounded down) and is not knocked prone.

Improved Pulse

When you use Force Pulse, your weapon attacks instead deal 1d8 force damage per charge spent. If multiple charges are used, you may attempt to push the target 5 feet per extra charge spent as part of the attack. The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier) or be pushed.

Resonant Shock

When a hostile creature ends its turn within 10 feet of you, you can use your reaction and expend Aether to unleash a kinetic blast. The target must make a Strength saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier) or take 1d8 force damage per charge spent and be knocked prone. On a success, it takes half damage and is not knocked prone.

Bound Weapon

7th level Aether Warrior feature

Your bond with Aether allows you to infuse a weapon with resonant energy. When you finish a short or long rest, you can bind one weapon to yourself through this energy. While you are holding your bound weapon:

• It counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
• You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it.
• You can summon the bound weapon to your hand as part of the Attack action, provided it’s on the same plane of existence.

You can only have one bound weapon at a time but you can bind a different weapon whenever you finish a rest.

Aetherflow Momentum

10th-Level Aether Warrior feature

When combat begins, your body instinctively draws in Aether to meet the coming clash. When you roll initiative, you immediately regain Aether Charges equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1).

In addition, your mastery over kinetic energy permanently enhances your physical speed:

• Your movement speed increases by 10 feet.

• You ignore difficult terrain caused by nonmagical effects.

Aetheric Ward

15th-Level Aether Warrior feature

Your mastery of Aether allows you to weave a shimmering barrier of resonant energy around yourself as you fight. At the end of your turn, you gain temporary hit points equal to the total number of Aether Charges you spent that turn. Until the end of your next turn, whenever a creature deals damage to you, it takes force damage equal to the number of temporary hit points you gained from this feature, regardless of how the damage was dealt. If a creature’s attack or effect reduces your temporary hit points to 0, it takes double that amount of force damage as the ward violently collapses.

Living Conduit

18th-Level Aether Warrior feature

You are no longer just a user of Aether — you are a vessel for it. Whenever you start your turn, you regain 1 Aether Charge.

When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points, regain 2 Aether Charges.

Each hostile creature of your choice within 10 feet takes 2d4 force damage per charge expended.