Base Class: Fighter
The Ashen Vessel is not born, but made—shaped by forces that lie beyond the mortal plane. Whether through forbidden ritual, Daedric intervention, or the will of a being such as Mehrunes Dagon, these warriors carry within them a fragment of destructive power that was never meant for mortal hands.
Unlike spellcasters who study and control their magic, the Ashen Vessel does not command their power—they endure it. Fire and ruin answer their call not through mastery, but through sacrifice. Each manifestation of this power burns through their body, straining the fragile boundary between mortal will and Daedric force.
On the battlefield, an Ashen Vessel is a terrifying presence. Their weapons blaze with unnatural fire, their strikes carry the weight of collapse, and their very existence seems to pull the world toward destruction. As they are pushed closer to their limits, their power only grows stronger, feeding on the edge between survival and annihilation.
Yet this power is not without consequence. The Ashen Vessel must constantly resist the influence of the force within them—a presence that urges destruction, demands action, and sees the world not as it is, but as something waiting to be broken and remade.
Some who bear this burden embrace it, becoming willing agents of ruin. Others fight to retain their identity, wielding this power as a tool rather than allowing it to define them. In either case, the Ashen Vessel stands at the center of a constant struggle:
Not against the world—but against what they are becoming.
Second Chance
When you are reduced to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction to instead drop to 1 hit point and regain hit points equal to three times your fighter level. This costs 2 Embers of Destruction. Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.
Avatar of Mehrunes Dagon
As a bonus action, for 1 minute you can use cursed abilities without expending Embers of Destruction, you gain resistance to all damage, and your weapon attacks deal an additional 1d8 fire damage. At the start of each of your turns, take increasing damage: 1d10 on the first turn, 2d10 on the second, and so on. This damage ignores resistance and cannot be reduced.
Dominion of the Inferno
Beginning at 13th level, you learn to impose your will upon the destructive force within you.
Whenever you expend an Ember, you can shape its effect in one of the following ways:
**Stabilize.** Reduce the self-damage caused by that ability by half, rounded down.
**Amplify.** Increase the damage of the triggering ability by 1d6 fire damage, but take an additional 1d6 damage.
You can use only one of these effects each time you expend an Ember.
Presence of the Worldbreaker
Beginning at 16th level, the weight of destruction within you radiates outward on the battlefield.
While you are below half your hit point maximum, hostile creatures within 5 feet of you have disadvantage on attack rolls against creatures other than you.
Those who face you feel the presence of something greater—an echo of the ruin you carry within.
Level 7: Brand of the World-Breaker
As a bonus action, mark one creature for 1 minute. Once per turn when you hit the marked target, deal extra fire damage equal to your proficiency bonus. If the marked target drops to 0 hit points before the mark ends, regain 1 Ember of Destruction.
Level 10: Cataclysmic Eruption
As an action, choose a point within 15 feet. Creatures in a 10-foot radius make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, they take 3d6 fire damage and are pushed 5 feet. On a success, they take half damage and are not pushed. You take 1d6 fire damage. Spends 1 Ember.
Each creature in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Ember save DC (8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier).
Relic of the Ashen Tyrant
You carry within you the smoldering remnants of Daedric power.
You gain a pool of Embers equal to your Proficiency Bonus. You regain all expended Embers when you finish a long rest.
Whenever you expend an Ember, you take 1d10 fire or necrotic damage (your choice), ignoring resistance.
Level 7: Ash Feeds the Flame
When you take damage from one of your subclass abilities, choose one: gain +2 to your next attack roll, or deal extra fire damage equal to your proficiency bonus on your next hit.
Fury of the Dying Flame
Your cursed power intensifies as your body weakens.
While you are below half (50%) of your maximum hit points, you gain a +1 bonus to damage rolls with weapon attacks.
While you are below one-quarter (25%)of your maximum hit points, this bonus increases to +2.
While you are below one-tenth (10%) of your maximum hit points, you have advantage on one weapon attack roll on each of your turns.
Level 3: Aspect of the Deadlands
As a bonus action and at the cost of 1 Ember, you ignite your weapon with infernal power for 1 minute. Once per turn, one weapon attack deals an extra 1d6 fire damage. Your weapon attacks count as magical. Once per turn, you can add your Constitution modifier to damage
Strain: At the start of each of your turns while this is active, make a Constitution saving throw (DC = 8 + number of turns active). On a failure, take 1d6 fire damage and movement speed reduced by 10 ft until end of turn.
Overchannel: When you fail the CON saving throw while below half HP, the effect ends immediately. You are stunned until the end of your next turn and you take 2d6 fire damage.
Unbound Cataclysm
You can push your cursed power beyond its limits.
When you have no remaining Embers of Destruction, you can still use your cursed abilities.
If you do so, you take 2d10 damage instead of 1d10, and you suffer a -2 penalty to AC until the end of your next turn.
Momentum of Ruin
Your victories feed the infernal power within you.
When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points, you can choose one of the following benefits:
- Regain 1 Ember of Destruction, or
- Gain temporary hit points equal to your fighter level.