Courier (Express Runner)

You are a professional courier of the world's legendary Express-System; whether that be the renowned Polari Express, the Imperial Royal Post, or any other storied mail service that spans continents and planes. Trained to traverse the most dangerous wilderness, slip through hostile borders, navigate treacherous noble courts, and survive bandit-ridden trade routes, you embody reliability in a chaotic world.

Your body is honed for unmatched speed and tireless endurance. Your mind is a living archive of forgotten roads, secret codes, shifting political borders, and the subtle social cues of a hundred cultures and races. You speak the language of kings and commoners, tribes and tyrants, adjusting your tone, dialect, and bearing in an instant so that every message feels delivered by one of their own.

When diplomacy and clever words reach their limit, your blades, or the very parcels and letters you carry, become the final, decisive delivery. Whether it’s a sealed scroll for a demon prince, a love letter to a rival queen, or a dagger “express-mailed” straight into an orc warlord’s throat, the message always arrives.

Level 3: Courier’s Speed [3]

Your innate speed for anything you have movement in, it becomes 40 if it is lower than it, with it increasing by 5 at level 7, 10, 15, and 18. For a max total of 60ft [manually apply btw]

You also gain proficiency in Acrobatics and one of the following: Athletics, Perception, or Stealth. If you already have proficiency, your proficiency bonus is doubled for that skill (expertise). [manually apply btw if expertise]

Level 3: Linguistic Chameleon [3]

You gain the ability to speak, read, and write two additional languages of your choice. Additionally, you have advantage on Intelligence (History) or Intelligence (Investigation) checks made to recall or research information about a specific culture, city, or noble house’s postal customs or etiquette. Though you also earn a special language called 'Courier-Tongue'.

Social Delivery: When you speak to a creature(s) that understands at least one language, you can attempt to match their dialect, accent, or social register (noble speech to nobles, tribal slang to tribes, etc.). Make a Charisma (Persuasion) or Intelligence (History/Investigation) check (DM’s choice of which skill fits best). On a success, for the next 10 minutes you are considered to be speaking in a way that feels natural and respectful to them; you gain advantage on one Charisma check made to influence that creature during that time. If they also share a language you know (beyond Common), you instead gain advantage on all Charisma checks against them for 10 minutes.

If you already have advantage though, then you get a 1d6 bonus to any checks for them dealing with intimidation, deception, and persuasion, maybe even performance.

NOTE: YOU CAN REUSE IT UNLESS YOU FAIL THE ATTEMPT TO DO SO, THEN YOU CAN'T UNTIL YOUR NEXT LONGREST FOR THEM AND THOSE PRESENT

Level 3: Express Protocol [3]

You learn 3 Delivery Protocols. These are special maneuvers or tricks you can use in and out of combat. You can use a number of Protocols per long rest equal to your Intelligence modifier + 1 (minimum 1). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Some Protocols require a bonus action or reaction.

LEVEL 3
Quick Toss - As a bonus action, throw a weapon or an object you’re holding up to 60 ft with no disadvantage. If it hits a creature, it deals damage as normal + your Intelligence modifier (minimum 1).

Message in Motion - When you take the Dash action, you can speak a short message (25 words or less) that is clearly heard by one creature within 60 ft, even if it’s in combat.

Polite Deflection - As a reaction when you are hit by an attack, make a Charisma (Persuasion) check vs the attacker’s attack roll. On success, the attack misses (flavor: “Wait! This is for your lord!” or tribal equivalent). Usable once per short rest for free, otherwise costs a Protocol use.

Cultural Insight - As a bonus action, choose one creature you can see. You learn one language it speaks (if any) and gain advantage on your next Charisma check against it.

LEVEL 7
Chain Delivery - When you hit with a melee or ranged attack, you can immediately move up to 10 ft without provoking opportunity attacks, then make one additional attack against a different target within range.

Lightning Relay - As a bonus action, you grant one willing creature within 60 ft the ability to take the Dash action as a bonus action on their next turn.

Armored Parcel - As a bonus action, designate one ally within 30 ft. Until the start of your next turn, that ally gains a +2 bonus to AC (you “delivered” a defensive maneuver or distraction).

LEVEL 10
False Route - As a reaction when an ally within 30 ft is targeted by an attack, you can swap places with them (if space allows) using your reaction and movement. The attack now targets you instead.

High-Speed Intercept - When a creature within 30 ft is about to make a ranged attack, you can use your reaction to move up to your speed toward it and make one weapon attack against it (with advantage if you moved at least 20 ft w/o detours).

Encrypted Delivery - You can cast illusory script or comprehend languages once per long rest without a spell slot (or expend a Protocol use to do so again). Intelligence is your spellcasting ability.

LEVEL 15
Final Delivery - Once per long rest (or by expending 2 Protocol uses), when you hit a creature, it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + prof + Int mod) or be stunned until the end of its next turn (flavor: the sheer shock of your perfectly timed strike/message).

Level 7: Reliable Runner [7]

You have advantage on saving throws against being exhausted or frightened

Ontop of that; a proficiency bonus amount of times per short rest, when you take the Dash action, you can give one (or more) willing creature(s) within 30 feet that can see or hear you the same speed bonus you have from Courier’s Speed until the start of your next turn.

(as in the innate bonus, so a person with 25ft gets your innate speed as well; so 40ft at lvl 3, but each creature uses up an slot)

Level 7: Signature Route [7]

At 7th level, you commit to a Signature Route that becomes your legendary courier style. This choice is permanent and cannot be changed. Each route carries a mystical flair tied to the Express’s winged, otherworldly insignia.

Blitz Route: Your speed bonus from Courier’s Speed is doubled (so max becomes 120ft instead), but so does travel pace for you and your allies, while you are not wearing heavy or medium armor that is. You are also immune to ANY difficult terrain, even if it's abit of a damaging one (unless it's like quicksand, then they have advantage to straight run-accross it)

Rune Relay Route: As a 10-minute ritual (which can be done during a short rest, or during 1 minute if you succeed an arcana check but it does become temporary), you can create a temporary or permanent rune on a surface or object you touch. Temporary runes last 24 hours; permanent runes last indefinitely but require you to spend 1 gp worth of rare inks or materials per day of maintenance if you want them to remain active beyond the first week.

As an action, you can teleport to any rune you created or have previously discovered/attuned to (as long as it is on the same plane of existence), arriving in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of it. You can bring anybody you're willing to bring with you as well. Other Couriers with this exact Signature Route who know the rune’s attunement phrase can also use your runes (tends to be the same for certain organizations).

This creates a personal (or shared) teleportation network of “express waypoints”; perfect for setting up safe relay points across a campaign world, quick escapes, or dramatic deliveries

Blitz Route

Blitz Route: Your speed bonus from Courier’s Speed is doubled (so max becomes 120ft instead), but so does travel pace for you and your allies, while you are not wearing heavy or medium armor that is. You are also immune to ANY difficult terrain, even if it's abit of a damaging one (unless it's like quicksand, then they have advantage to straight run-accross it)

Rune Relay Route

Rune Relay Route: As a 10-minute ritual (which can be done during a short rest), you can create a temporary or permanent rune on a surface or object you touch. Temporary runes last 24 hours; permanent runes last indefinitely but require you to spend 1 gp worth of rare inks or materials per day of maintenance if you want them to remain active beyond the first week.

As an action, you can teleport to any rune you created or have previously discovered/attuned to (as long as it is on the same plane of existence), arriving in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of it. You can bring anybody you're willing to bring with you as well. Other Couriers with this exact Signature Route who know the rune’s attunement phrase can also use your runes (tends to be the same for certain organizations).

This creates a personal (or shared) teleportation network of “express waypoints”; perfect for setting up safe relay points across a campaign world, quick escapes, or dramatic deliveries

Level 10: Insignia of the Express [10]

The iconic winged, horned emblem of your service is more than decoration; it is a focus of mystical courier magic. You can manifest a glowing, ethereal version of the Express Insignia you're apart of as a bonus action (it hovers above your head or on your satchel). While active, it lasts for 1 minute or until you dismiss it (no concentration required).

While the insignia is manifested:

Insignia's Blessing: You and any friendly creatures within 30 feet of you gain a +1d6 bonus to initiative rolls as well as a +1d6 to attacks and saving throws.

Courier’s Leap (you only): On your turn, as part of your movement or as a bonus action, you can teleport to an unoccupied space you can see within 30 feet, or to a space within 5 feet of a willing creature within 60 feet that can see the insignia.

You can do this a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum once), regaining all expended when you finish a long rest.

Level 10: Express Delivery [10]

When you hit a creature with a ranged or thrown weapon attack, you can mark it as a “delivery target.” Until the end of your next turn, allies have advantage on attack rolls against it if they are within 5 feet. Usable twice per short or long rest (four times at 15th level).

Level 10: Knowledgeable Route-Finder [10]

You gain proficiency with Navigator’s Tools and two additional languages (three if already proficient in Navigator's Tools).
You add half your fighter level (rounded down) as a bonus to any Intelligence check involving geography, trade routes, safe paths, cultural customs, or decoding messages.

Once per long rest, you can perfectly recall any route or map you’ve previously studied or created without needing a check or without needing an item.

Level 15: Evasive Delivery [15]

Opportunity attacks against you have disadvantage while you are dashing.
When you use your action to Dash, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action (this attack benefits from applicable Delivery Protocols as part of the bonus action as well).

Level 18: Perfect Delivery [18]

When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with a weapon attack, or successfully deliver a critical message/package (DM discretion), regain one use of Polari Protocol. Once per long rest, you can instead grant a use to a willing ally within 30 feet.