D&D 5e Ravenloft Player's Compendium

50 ORACLE’S BURDEN When you choose this domain at 1st level, you are granted preternatural insight, but at a difficult price. You have disadvantage on saving throws against exhaustion, and you must choose one of the following Oracle’s Burden options, each of which includes both a hindrance and a blessing: Choked Voice. You can never speak louder than a whisper. Except when you speak or sing as part of casting a spell or using a class feature, only creatures within 10 feet of you can hear your voice. When a creature you can see within 30 feet of you makes an attack, you can use your reaction to roll a d4, subtracting the number rolled from the target’s attack roll. Debilitating Ailment. An incurable illness depletes your physical fortitude. Your hit point maximum decreases by 2 when you gain this feature, and decreases by 1 again whenever you gain a cleric level. Once per turn, when you make an attack roll, you can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to your attack roll. Sightless Vision. A milky film covers your eyes. To you, bright light is considered dim light, dim light is considered darkness, and you can’t see in darkness. However, you have blindsight to a distance of 30 feet. Surprising Age. You are either very young or very old, as your calling to prophecy came during a season of your life outside the normal range of adventuring ages. Choose an ability score: Strength, Dexterity, or Wisdom. You have disadvantage on ability checks made with the chosen ability. When you cast a cleric spell of 1st level or higher that causes a creature to make a saving throw using the chosen ability, you can roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled from one target’s first saving throw made against the spell. Thorn in the Flesh. You have a supernatural wound that reopens when you exert yourself. Your walking speed can’t be greater than 20 feet, and when you take the Dash action, at the end of that turn, you take magical piercing damage equal to your cleric level, which can’t be reduced in any way. You add a bonus equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1) to all Strength and Constitution saving throws. Withered Hand. One of your hands is desiccated, shriveled, and almost corpse-like. You have disadvantage on any weapon attacks made with that hand and can’t carry a shield with it. When you roll a 1 on any damage die for a cleric spell, you can reroll the die, and must use the new roll, even if it’s a 1. CHANNEL DIVINITY: PROPHETIC VISION Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to receive a vision of the future. As an action, make an Intelligence (Religion) or Wisdom (Insight) check and record the number rolled. You can replace any attack roll, saving throw, or ability check made by you or a creature that you can see with the recorded result. You must choose to do so before the roll. You can only use the roll once, and when you finish a short or long rest, you lose any unused roll. CRYPTIC ADVICE Beginning at 6th level, as a bonus action, you can give a piece of indirect yet insightful advice to a creature with which you share a language. Once during the next hour, when that creature makes an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check, it can recall your cryptic advice, choosing to reroll the attack roll, saving throw, or ability check, and gaining advantage on the new roll. The creature makes this choice after the roll, as soon as the DM declares whether the result is a failure. The creature must use the second result. Once you have used this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest. DEVOUT STRIKE Starting at 8th level, once on each of your turns, when you deal damage to one or more targets,

51 you can choose to deal an extra 2d4 damage to one of those targets. This extra damage is magical damage of the same type as the damage already being dealt to the target. At 17th level, the extra damage increases to 3d4. SOOTHSAYING Starting at 17th level, by paying the price in your own flesh, you experience a powerful flash of magical revelation. As a bonus action, you can expend up to 5 Hit Dice, regaining a spell slot of a level equal to the number of Hit Dice expended. In addition, the first time that you use this feature each day, you glimpse your destiny. Once before the next time you finish a long rest, if you fail an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw, you can choose to succeed instead. PYRE DOMAIN The night may be dark and full of terrors, but you honor the shadows the fire casts as well as its light. As a cleric of this domain, you watch the past turn to ashes, then gaze into the flames to seek the future. You strive to enact ancient messianic prophecies and guide the scions of kingly bloodlines. History’s shadow falls upon the present, and as old orders are burned away by new destinies, you glimpse fate in the flickering inferno. You learn to return the warm spark of life to the fallen, or to draw it out and bind it into your own darker creations. DOMAIN SPELLS You gain domain spells at the cleric levels listed in the Pyre Domain Spells table. See the cleric’s Divine Domain class feature for how domain spells work. PYRE DOMAIN SPELLS Cleric Level Spells 1st heroism, searing smite 3rd flame blade, heat metal 5th bestow curse, revivify 7th elemental bane XGtE , wall of fire 9th raise dead, scrying

52 FIERY BLESSING When you choose this domain at 1st level, you learn your choice of one the following cantrips: create bonfire XGtE , control flame XGtE , dancing lights, produce flame, or greenflame blade TCoE . This is a cleric spell for you, but does not count against the number of cleric cantrips you know. You also gain proficiency with alchemist’s supplies. RUBY GLARE Also at 1st level, you can use a crystal arcane focus or any ruby worth 10 gp or more as a spellcasting focus for your cleric spells. While you have such a spellcasting focus in hand or openly displayed on your person, you can use light from it to dazzle an attacking enemy. When you are attacked by a creature within 30 feet of you that you can see, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll before it hits or misses, as red light from the crystal or ruby flashes in the attacker’s eyes. An attacker that can't be blinded is immune to this feature. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. CHANNEL DIVINITY: FIERY ANOINTING Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to anoint a weapon with sacred flame or imbue yourself with mystical protection. When you use this Channel Divinity feature, choose one of the following options: Anointed Weapon. As an action, you use one hand to pour an entire flask of alchemist’s fire onto a melee weapon held in your other hand, which must be a weapon that you are proficient with and that lacks the twohanded property. Once you anoint the weapon, until the next time you finish a short or long rest, it gains a +1 bonus to its attack and damage rolls, unless it is a magic weapon that already has a bonus to those rolls, and you can use the weapon as a spellcasting focus for your cleric spells. For the duration, you can use a bonus action to ignite the weapon into flames, to douse the flames, or to reignite the flames if they have gone out. While the weapon is ignited, and it sheds bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet, and the first time each turn that you hit with an attack using the weapon, you deal an extra 1d6 fire or radiant damage (your choice) to the target. This extra damage increases as you gain levels in your cleric class, becoming 2d6 at 8th level and 3d6 at 14th level. Blessing of Inner Flame. As an action, you consume a flask of alchemist’s fire. The divine energies of your Channel Divinity keep this hazardous liquid from harming you, and the first time you would take damage before the next time you finish a short rest, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier + half your cleric level (minimum 1) before the damage is inflicted. If the creature that would deal the damage is within 30 feet of you when this happens, it takes psychic damage equal to your cleric level if it can see you and you are not incapacitated. FORETOLD IN FLAME Beginning at 6th level, staring into fire allows you to obtain a murky vision of events to come. When you finish a long or short rest, if there was an open fire larger than a torch flame within 30 feet of you for at least half of that rest’s duration, and you saw that fire at least once, you can roll a d20 and record the number rolled. After you do so, you gain resistance to fire damage, and you can replace any attack roll, saving throw, or ability check made by you or a creature that you can see or hear with the foretold roll. You must choose to do so before

53 the roll, and you can replace a roll in this way only once per turn. Each foretold roll can be used only once. Once you use your foretold roll, you also lose the resistance to fire damage granted by use of this feature. When you finish a long or short rest, you lose any unused foretold rolls. NIGHT’S DARK TERROR At 8th level, you can use another creature’s life energy to birth a dark horror that strikes at your enemies. When you and another willing humanoid take a short rest together, you can perform an intimate 1-hour ceremony with that creature as part of the rest. At the end of the short rest, if the humanoid spends 4 or more Hit Dice, it does not regain any hit points from Hit Dice it expends, but you immediately gain the ability to summon a shadow demon using a special 1-minute ritual. After it spends these Hit Dice, for 1 week that humanoid regains only half the normal number of Hit Dice at the end of a long rest. The summoning ritual must be performed in dim light or darkness, and you can’t perform this ritual again until after the next sunset. At the end of the summoning ritual, the shadow demon appears in an unoccupied space you can see within range. It disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or after it kills its assigned target. The summoned shadow demon gains a bonus to its AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls equal to your proficiency bonus and temporary hit points equal to five times the number of Hit Dice spent at the end of the 1- hour ceremony by the last willing humanoid you successfully performed the ceremony with. The shadow assassin resembles that willing humanoid, looking almost identical to its actual shadow and bearing discernible facial features recognizably similar to those of the humanoid. The shadow demon cannot speak or communicate in any way. Roll initiative for the demon, which has its own turns. As part of the summoning ritual, you choose a creature within 300 feet of you that you are familiar with as the shadow demon’s target. The shadow demon always knows its target’s location, even when it is hidden, and it begins traveling towards the target to attack and kill it. While it has a valid target, the shadow demon spends each of its turns attacking that target or, if it cannot, doing whatever it can to be able to attack the target as soon as possible. It is otherwise indifferent to you and your companions; it exists only to kill the target you choose. Once you summon a shadow demon with this feature, you cannot do so again until after the next time you finish a long rest, no matter how many times you perform the 1-hour initial ceremony. THE INFERNO PROMISED Starting at 17th level, when you deal fire damage to a creature, you ignore resistance to fire damage and treat immunity to fire damage as resistance instead. In addition, you learn the spell foresight as a cleric spell, and you always have that spell prepared, as if it were one of your domain spells.

54 THE DRUID Legends say Ravenloft’s first druids came from the domain of Forlorn, but their ways spread to many other lands in the centuries that followed. Today, most druids keep their ancient faith secret to avoid hostility from ignorant locals. The residents of many domains know of druids only through the filter of folklore, often confusing primal magic with “witchcraft.” To avoid unwanted attention among strangers, many druids pass themselves off as clerics of "new" gods rather than allies of primal spirits. NEW DRUID CIRCLE: CIRCLE OF THE EQUINOX Given their closeness to nature, druids have a special relationship with the cyclical passage of time. Balance is central to the ethos of many druidic orders, and this reflects the changing nature of the year as light grows and recedes. Druids of your Circle believe that true balance exists in a state of flux, and you change your nature from day to day. You are committed to enforcing the proper balance of nature, whether that means culling certain creatures or ensuring the abundant growth of others. Your druidic tradition shares much with the religions of ancient sylvan cultures and you may refer to nature spirits and the archfey as “the old gods.” ASPECT OF THE EQUINOX At 2nd level, your ties to the fey and changes of the seasons grant you additional abilities that shift like the phases of the moon or the ocean tide. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can choose one Aspect: either Autumn or Spring. You have the chosen aspect until you choose a different one at the end of another long rest. Depending on your druid level, your Aspect grants you access to certain additional spells. You automatically have the listed spells prepared, and they do not count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. Any listed spells are always druid spells for you while you have the associated Aspect. ASPECT OF THE EQUINOX SPELLS Druid Level Autumn Spells Spring Spells 2nd hex hunter’s mark 3rd misty step enthrall 5th bestow curse aura of vitality 7th greater invisibility aura of life 9th cone of cold flame strike 11th circle of death Otto’s irresistible dance 13th etherealness etherealness BALANCING STRIKE Beginning at 2nd level, you have a pool of raw, natural energy you use to restore balance in the world around you, represented by a number of d8's equal to your druid level. When you hit with a spell attack, natural weapon attack, or unarmed strike, or a weapon attack with a simple weapon, you can choose to spend balancing strike dice to deal extra damage. You can spend a number of dice equal to half your druid level or less. The amount of extra damage

55 dealt is determined by rolling all the dice you spent and adding them together. The damage type is determined by your current choice for your Aspect of the Equinox feature: necrotic damage for the Autumn Aspect, radiant damage for the Spring Aspect. If you currently have the Autumn Aspect, you roll d10s instead of d8s for this extra damage if the target is a humanoid. If you have the Spring Aspect, you roll d10s instead of d8s if the target is undead. Whenever you roll your balancing strike dice for this extra damage, you gain temporary hit points equal to the damage rolled, regardless of whether some or all of the damage is not dealt to the target. You regain all spent balancing strike dice when you finish a long rest. HERALD OF THE SEASONS Starting at 6th level, when you cast a druid spell that has a casting time of 1 action, you can spend 2 of your balancing strike dice to change the casting time to 1 bonus action for this casting. When you do so, you roll both the balancing strike dice you spend and gain temporary hit points equal to the total. In addition, whenever you gain temporary hit points during your turn, you can expend one use of your wild shape to gain a flying speed, climbing speed, swimming speed, or burrowing speed (your choice) of 60 feet. The new movement lasts for 1 hour, but ends early if you end your turn with no temporary hit points. MASTER OF THE OLD WAYS Beginning at 10th level, you have learned to couple your physical prowess with impenetrable mental fortitude. You gain resistance to psychic damage and you are immune to the charmed and frightened conditions. You also have an additional damage resistance based on your current Aspect. If you are in your Autumn Aspect, you have resistance to fire damage; if you are in your Spring Aspect, you have resistance to necrotic damage. RESTORE BALANCE At 14th level, whenever a creature hits you with an attack, that creature takes psychic damage equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1) if you’re not incapacitated. In addition, when you roll initiative and have no balancing strike dice remaining, you regain two of your balancing strike dice. IN THE DOMAINS OF DREAD Most druids of this Circle favor one of its two seasonal aspects: Autumn or Spring. Among Forfarian druids (those arising from the lost domain of Forlorn), the ways of the Circle of the Equinox are practiced by druids of two different orders: the Oak Faction, who favor the Spring aspect, and the Rowan Faction, who favor Autumn. A sizable group of these druids dwells in Barovia, among the Forfarian immigrants outside the village of Immol. Autumnal druids are less well-trusted in many domains, having ways commonly associated with folktales of curses and those who cast them. They do little to discourage this, often referring to themselves as “witches” and their magical talents as “witchcraft,” and they are often targeted by witch-hunters in lands beset by intolerant religious zealotry, such as Tepet. An Equinox druid favoring Autumn is more vengeful, enforcing natural balance by correcting wrongs committed and seeking to keep any one sort of creature from dominating local wilds. Spring druids are more likely to dwell on the edges of settlements rather than in deep wilderness. These druids function as something like midwives to beasts of the wilds, helping new mothers through difficult births. When passing by, they can never resist offering the same aid to any expectant mother, whether she is a lioness or a highborn noblewoman. Druids favoring Spring seek natural balance by encouraging large populations of all animal and plant species, on the notion that such bounty aids all living things, so long as no one type of life overwhelms the others.

56 CIRCLE OF THE SKINCHANGER All druids possess the power to wild shape, but rarer are those who practice the art of skinchanging—projecting their soul from their original body to possess another creature. In the North, many are born with signs of a skinchanger’s talent, especially among the orcs of Many-Arrows and the human Ice Hunters, members of an Ulutiun ethnicity living in the Cold Run, on the Ice Peak, and on the Sea of Moving Ice. BEAST COMPANION When you choose this circle at 2nd level, you may use an action to choose to attract a beast companion before taking a long rest. This companion is a beast of your choice, subject to certain limitations determined by your druid level, as shown on the table: SKINCHANGER BEAST COMPANIONS DRUID LEVEL MAX. CHALLENGE RATING FEATURES EXAMPLE 2nd ¼ No flying or swimming speed, Intelligence 6 or lower Wolf 3rd 1 No flying or swimming speed, Intelligence 6 or lower Dire wolf 4th 1 No flying speed, Intelligence can be 7 or lower Giant octopus 6th 2 No flying speed Polar bear 8th 2 Intelligence can be 8 or lower Giant eagle 9th 3 — Killer whale 12th 4 — Elephant 15th 5 — Giant crocodile 18th 6 — Mammoth You normally choose the type of beast companion you will have when you take the long rest required to gain one, but the DM may limit your choices depending what is logical for the local area and terrain. Summoning the Beast Companion. During a long rest after summoning a beast companion, you go to sleep and dream of being that creature. At the end of your long rest, the animal you dreamed of appears, friendly to you and willing to remain for at least 1 hour provided you do not harm or mistreat it. By expending 50 gp worth of food, drink, and herbal poultices, you spend the next hour transforming that creature into your loyal beast companion.

57 Skinchanger’s Bond. While a creature is your beast companion, it gains a variety of benefits, although it also loses its Multiattack action, if it has one. The companion obeys your commands as best it can. The beast cohort acts on its own turn, but does not roll initiative. Instead, when you roll initiative, you determine whether the beast acts just before the beginning of your turn or just after the end of your turn. On its turn, you determine its actions, decisions, attitudes, and so on. If you are incapacitated or absent, your companion acts on its own. Your beast companion has abilities and game statistics determined in part by your level. Your companion uses your proficiency bonus rather than its own. In addition to the areas where it normally uses its proficiency bonus, a beast companion also adds its proficiency bonus to its AC and to its damage rolls. Your beast companion gains proficiency in two skills of your choice. It also becomes proficient with all saving throws. For each druid level you gain after 3rd, your beast companion gains an additional hit die and increases its hit points accordingly. When you reach 6th level, when you take an action on your turn to cast a spell or use the Attack action, if your companion can see you, it can use its reaction to make a melee attack. In addition, your beast companion has advantage on attack rolls against any creature within 5 feet of your actual body (not a body you are possessing). When you reach 6th level, your beast companion’s natural weapon attacks count as magical for purposes of overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical attacks and damage. When you reach 11th level, your companion can take one additional action during its turn. Once it uses this benefit, it cannot do so again until you finish a long or short rest. When you reach 17th level, your companion can use this benefit twice before you rest, but only once on the same turn. Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement class feature, your companion’s abilities also improve. Your companion can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or it can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, your companion can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature, unless specified otherwise. Changing Beast Companions. You can have only one beast companion at a time. If your beast companion is ever slain, you must find a means of returning it to life or find a new beast companion. You do so by taking a long rest, during which time you dream of the new beast companion, and at the end of that long rest the beast appears, and you bond with it the same way you bonded with your initial beast companion. If a slain former beast companion returns to life while you have another current beast companion, you must choose one of the two to remain as your companion, while the other leaves you. Beast Companion Spells. Whenever you have a beast companion, you can cast the spell beast bond XGtE on your beast companion as a ritual, and you always have that spell prepared. This spell works on your beast companion even if it has an Intelligence of 4 or higher. At 3rd level in your druid class, you always have the beast sense spell prepared also. When you begin a long rest, you may cast both beast bond XGtE and beast sense on your beast companion simultaneously, as a ritual, without disrupting your rest. You are magically able to concentrate on both these spells at once. You cast these rituals while unconscious, and the duration of both spells is increased to two hours when they are cast in this way.

58 SKINCHANGING Starting at 2nd level, as a bonus action, you can expand a use of your wild shape feature to cast the magic jar spell without using a spell slot, changing the casting time to 1 bonus action for that casting. You do not use a container. Instead, your soul directly exits and enters your body, and you can possess a beast as long as it is within 300 feet of you. While you possess a creature with this casting of magic jar, its soul is trapped in your body, but that soul dormant and unconscious. At 2nd level, you can only possess your beast companion when you cast magic jar with this feature. Your beast companion automatically fails its saving throw when you possess it in this way. When you reach 6th level in your druid class, you can use this feature to possess any beast you are aware of within 300 feet of you. You can only possess a beast with a flying speed using this feature if you are 8th level or higher. When you reach 14th level, you can use this feature to possess any dragon, humanoid, monstrosity, or plant you can see within 100 feet of you that has an Intelligence of 6 or lower. DETECT BEASTS Starting at 6th level, you have a preternatural sense for the presence of animals. As an action, you can open your awareness to detect beasts. Until the end of your next turn, you know the location of any beast within 300 feet of you that is not behind total cover. You know the type of beast you detect (bear, wolf, etc.), but no other particulars (such as whether it is the pet of the barbarian chieftain). You can use this feature a number of times equal to 1 + your Wisdom modifier. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. BEAST LINK At 6th level, when you possess a creature with your skinchanging feature, its natural weapon attacks count as magical for purposes of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. SUSTAIN SPIRIT Starting at 10th level, when your beast companion or a creature you are possessing with your skinchanging feature hits a creature with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to expend one spell slot and grant it increased fighting spirit. The creature gains 2d8 temporary hit points for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d8 temporary hit points for each spell level higher than 1st, to a maximum of 5d8. While a creature has the temporary hit points it gained from this feature, if another creature hits it with a melee attack, that creature takes psychic damage equal to half of those remaining temporary hit points. SKINCHANGER’S CLEAVE Starting at 14th level, when a creature you are possessing with one of this circle’s features reduces a creature to 0 hit points, you can use your bonus action to make a melee attack with one of that creature’s natural weapons.

59 CIRCLE OF THE SOLSTICE Ages ago, two orders of druids—one dedicated to summer, one to winter—united to stop an alchemist with an army of constructs from destroying their forest. To this day, inheritors of their ways like you defend wild places threatened by unnatural incursions or reckless depletion of resources. Other druids cannot match your fast, versatile shapechanging. In one battle, you might charge in on speedy hooves, escape a grapple with a bear’s strength, grow wings to fly over an opponent, and bite foes with the fangs of a wolf. Some find Solstice druids esoteric, strange, or even mad, yet other druids respect their union of raw instinct with practiced precision. You are taught to embrace extremes of passion and logic, endurance and change. Hotter than fire, and colder than ice, you find the balance in between. FANG AND CLAW Starting at 2nd level, when you choose this archetype, you can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike and deal your choice of bludgeoning, piercing or slashing damage with it. You use your choice of either Strength or Dexterity for the attack roll and damage bonus of this attack. You can’t use this feature while in your Wild Shape form. SHIFTING ACTION Starting at 2nd level, when you choose this archetype, you can call on your tie to a bestial spirit to briefly transform part of your body. If you are not wearing heavy armor, you can take a bonus action on each of your turns in combat to gain temporary hit points equal to your druid level + your Wisdom modifier. If you wish, when you do so, you can expend one spell slot to regain 1d8 hit points per level of the spell slot expended instead of gaining temporary hit points. When you gain this feature, choose one of the following options. Whenever you use your Shifting Action feature during your turn, you also create the chosen effect, as follows: Charging Elk. When you use your bonus action on this feature, until the end of your next turn, if you move at least 20 feet straight towards a Large or smaller creature during your turn, the next Strength-based unarmed strike or attack with a natural weapon you make against that creature before the end of that same turn is made at advantage and deals extra damage equal to your Wisdom modifier. In addition, as part of this same bonus action, you may immediately move up to 20 feet. Eagle Wing Leap. When you use your bonus action on this feature, until the end of your next turn, your jumping distance is doubled, and you gain a climb speed equal to your walking speed. In addition, as part of this same bonus action, you may immediately move up to half your speed. Harrying Wolf. When you use your bonus action on this feature, the next time you hit a creature with a melee attack before the end of your next turn, you can choose one ally within 5 feet of that target. That ally can immediately use its reaction to make one weapon attack against the same target. In addition, as part of this same bonus action, you may immediately make an unarmed strike. Sinews of the Bear. When you use your bonus action on this feature, until the end of your next turn, you add your Wisdom bonus

60 to Strength checks and Strength saving throws, and add an additional 1d4 to the damage of Strength-based melee attacks. In addition, as part of this same bonus action, you may immediately make an unarmed strike. Tiger’s Pounce. When you use your bonus action on this feature, the next time you hit a creature with a Strength-based melee attack before the end of your next turn, that creature must make a saving throw against your druid spell DC. On a failure, that creature is grappled by you. When you grapple a creature in this way, you must release that creature from your grapple before you can grapple another. In addition, as part of this same bonus action, you may immediately make an unarmed strike. Once you use your Shifting Action feature, you cannot do so again until after the end of your next turn. You can use this feature while using your Wild Shape as well, provided you are in a beast form that is Small or larger, but any benefits to melee attacks while in your beast form only apply to Strength-based attacks. FERAL DRUID At 6th level, your unarmed strikes and your natural weapon attacks in a beast form assumed with Wild Shape count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. SOLSTICE ASPECT At 6th level, you choose what kind of druid of this circle you are going to be, taking on the seasonal aspect of Summer or Winter. You gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage that is not silver, but you also gain vulnerability to silver, and you must choose one of the following two aspects, which grants you further abilities. Aspect of Summer. You have resistance to fire damage, and you are considered naturally adapted to warm climates. If you are not in a cold climate, you have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks related to hearing or smell. Aspect of Winter. You have resistance to cold damage, and you are considered naturally adapted to cold climates. If you are not in a warm climate, you have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks related to hearing or smell QUICKENED UNARMED STRIKE Beginning at 10th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn, as long as one of the two attacks is an unarmed strike or an attack with a natural weapon. You can use this feature while using your Wild Shape as well, provided you are in a beast form that is Small or larger, but you cannot use it if your beast form has the Multiattack action. In addition, you increase your walking speed by 10 feet, and whenever you make an unarmed strike while not using your Wild Shape feature, you may roll a d6 in place of your normal unarmed strike damage. SMITE THE UNNATURAL At 14th level, when you hit a creature with an unarmed strike (or a natural weapon attack while in a beast form you assumed with your Wild Shape feature), you can expend one druid spell slot of 4th-level or lower to deal extra damage. The extra damage equals 1d8 per level of the spell slot expended. The damage increases by 1d8 if the target is a construct or undead. This extra damage is of the same type as the damage to which you gained resistance from your Solstice Aspect feature. WINTER DRUIDS OF BAROVIA A particularly erratic group of Winter-aspected druids of the Circle of the Solstice dwell in Barovia, in the area of Yester Hill. These druids actually worship the darklord Strahd von Zarovich, believing his powers over the weather and elements in his domain represent a divine tie to the forces of nature.

61 NEW DRUID CIRCLE: CIRCLE OF STANDING STONES Druids who are members of the Circle of Standing Stones have a special connection with the very bones of the world, communing with the elemental spirits of mountains, hills, caves, and tunnels. Becoming a member of this circle makes you an implacable defender of the land, equally at home above and below the ground, and able to shrug off harm that would kill other mortals instantly. These druids have a reputation for resisting change, seeking to preserve things as they are, but this is not always the case. In ancient times, members of this circle erected or became caretakers of stone circles, pyramids, petroglyphs, underground temples, and other ancient monuments of stone. Such places remain centers of sacred rites and repositories of primal knowledge, and these druids work to preserve these sites. IN THE REALMS Groups of these druids are based around megalithic structures scattered across the Realms, including the rebuilt Standing Stone just south of Myth Drannor, Allyn’s Anvil and Calimban Knoll in Calimshan, the Prayer Stone in Amn, Daustable's Morrum in the Shaar, the Stone Stand in the High Forest, the Fang of Skulls in the Silver Marches, and the Twenty Stones of Thruun in Icewind Dale. Other subgroups of this Circle—those more oriented towards evil— congregate around the Wyvernstones of Hullack (in northeastern Cormyr) and the Bone Dance (in the Border Forest between Anauroch and the Moonsea, near Daggerdale). CIRCLE SPELLS Your mystical connection to spirits of elemental earth infuses you with the ability to cast certain spells. At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to circle spells. Once you gain access to a circle spell, you always have it prepared, and it doesn’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. If you gain access to a spell that doesn’t appear on the druid spell list, the spell is nonetheless a druid spell for you. CIRCLE OF STONE SPELLS Druid Level Spells 3rd dust devil XGtE , spike growth 5th aegis of assault*, meld into stone 7th elemental bane XGtE , stone shaoe 9th conjure elemental, wall of stone STONE BODY Starting at 2nd level, you can summon elemental spirits to fill your body with stony strength and protect you from harm. Your pool of protection is a number of d10’s equal to your druid level. As a reaction when you would take damage, spend any number of those dice. Roll the spent dice and add them together, then add your Wisdom modifier. You reduce the damage by an amount equal to that total. Whenever you reduce damage in this way, until the end of your next turn, you gain advantage on saving throws against effects that would push you or cause you to fall prone. You regain all expended dice when you finish a long rest. You can also expend a druid spell slot to regain a number of expended dice equal to that spell slot’s level. ELEMENTAL SHAPES Starting at 6th level, you can use your Wild Shape to transform into a gargoyle. When you use your Wild Shape in this way, you can choose to do so as a bonus action, rather than as an action. Except as described here, you must abide by the other limitations of Wild Shape. LAND’S ALLY At 6th level, the stone beneath you will move when you ask and even transport you short distances, granting you new uses for your Stone Body feature;

62 You can extend the earth’s protection to others. When a creature within 30 feet of you that you can see takes damage, you can use your reaction to protect that creature with your Stone Body feature, reducing damage against it by spending d10s from your pool the same way you can reduce damage inflicted on yourself. When you use your Stone Body feature as described above to protect another creature from damage, if that damage was inflicted by a successful melee attack and you and the attacker are both on or touching the same surface, you can also cast your circle spell aegis of assault* as part of the same reaction. When you use your Stone Body feature to reduce damage inflicted against you, you can choose to roll d6s for the amount of damage reduced instead of d10s. If you do so, you can choose one or two creatures within 30 feet of you that are on or touching the same surface as you and force them to make Dexterity saving throws against your druid spell save DC. Creatures that fail take magical bludgeoning damage equal to the amount by which your Stone Body reduced the damage. If a creature fails the saving throw by 5 or more, it also falls prone. SPIRIT OF LIVING ROCK Starting at 10th level, you can expend two uses of your Wild Shape at the same time to transform into an earth elemental. In addition, you gain the ability to speak with any nonmagical stone object or surface you can see within 60 feet of you. The stone can tell you what events have occurred within 10 feet of it in the past 24 hours. Its perspective, perception, and knowledge may limit what details the stone can provide. You can speak with stone in this way number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once), regaining all expended uses of this feature when you finish a long rest. EARTH WALKER Starting at 14th level, you can use a bonus action to meld into the earth and move through it as if it were air. When you use this feature, you gain the following benefits for 1 minute: You gain a burrow speed equal to your walking speed. You can move through solid earth or stone, leaving your hands free, without destabilizing it or even leaving a mark, but you can’t end your movement there. If you do so, you are ejected to the nearest unoccupied space large enough to fit into comfortably, and you are stunned until the end of your next turn. When you are burrowing, you can extend the aura of this effect to bring any objects you are carrying, and you can even bring one additional creature that you are carrying as well. You must be able to lift and carry the creature to bring it with you. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until the next time you finish a short or long rest. DM’S GUILD COMMUNITY CONTENT The Circle of Standing Stones was originally created by Jeremy Forbing for the Player’s Companion. Jeremy’s co-producer on that project, M.T. Black, then reworked the subclass as the Circle of Stone for Mirt's Undermountain Survival Guide and again in the Calimshan Adventurer’s Guide. Elements of all these previous versions combine to create the new one described here.

63 THE FIGHTER Fighters can be found in every settled Domain of Dread and can fill any niche requiring martial skill and physical prowess. They serve as armored knights in Falkovnia and Nova Vaasa, toil as soldiers in the armies of Staunton Bluffs and Tovag, and enforce the law as constables in Mordent and Lamordia. Adventuring fighters might pursue fame and fortune, quest for justice or vengeance, or simply follow their own moral imperatives. Yet they seldom do so alone. Ravenloft’s most legendary fighters are known for their extraordinary allies as well as for their own great deeds. NEW MARTIAL ARCHETYPE: BLADE DANCER You practice a refined form of fencing known for its speed and elegance. Akin to the ki technique of a monk, this fighting style emphasizes the unity of wielder and weapon, with special attention to the practitioner’s senses. A level of internal mastery allows the blade dancer to conquer physical fear and to see with all their senses equally. Most of those who learn the blade dance avoid heavy armor, sacrificing protection for speed, and favor lighter and more slender weapons. The technique teaches that parrying a blow is less efficient than simply not being there when it lands. You capitalize or your superior agility and perceptiveness by making quick strikes at weak spots in an enemy’s defenses. It is said that the greatest masters of this art duel upon a pool of water, never disturbing the surface. ARTFUL GRACE Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you move freely across the battlefield, disappearing in a blur before your enemy can land a blow. If you are not wearing medium or heavy armor, when you attack with a finesse, light, or ranged weapon, you inflict extra damage equal to your proficiency bonus if the target was not within 5 feet of any of your allies. If the attack was a melee attack, that target cannot make opportunity attacks against you for the rest of your turn. FEARLESS SENSES Also at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Investigation and Perception skills, and double your proficiency bonus on all Wisdom (Perception) checks against objects and creatures within 30 feet of you. You also double your proficiency bonus on saving throws against being frightened. BATTLEFIELD SENSE Starting at 7th level, if you are able to hear, you have a natural sense for the presence of objects around you, giving you blindsight within 10 feet and allowing you to add your Wisdom bonus to your initiative rolls. In addition, if you aren't wearing armor or wielding a shield, your AC cannot be lower than 13 + your Dexterity modifier. UNCANNY REFLEXES Starting at 10th level, if an attacker hits you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack’s damage against you. In addition, while you are not wearing armor, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids during your turn without falling during the move. If you are standing on such a surface at the end of your turn, you fall unless you are able to remain standing there by some other means. BLINDSENSE Starting at 15th level, if you are able to hear, you are aware of the location of any hidden or invisible creature within 10 feet of you. DODGING STRIKE Also at 15th level, when you take the Dodge action during your turn, you can use a bonus action to make a single weapon attack using a finesse, light, or ranged weapon. You can use

64 this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. PERFECT AWARENESS At 18th level, by meditating for one minute, you can enter a state of perfect awareness in battle that borders on precognition. You can cast the foresight spell on yourself, without using any components. The duration of this spell is reduced to 1 hour when you cast it with this feature. Once you cast foresight with this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest. HEDGE KNIGHT In a world where heavily armored knights set the standard for how battles are won, most nobles are trained from birth to fight as such, but others learn knightly combat the hard way. Owning no land, they do not receive arms or armor from wealthy families, nor do they enjoy the privileges of a sworn oath to a liege. They are nicknamed “hedge knights,” based on the notion that their most expensive possessions are their armor, weapons, and mounts, and that their relative poverty forces them to seek their rest outdoors, sheltering under trees or hedges. As a hedge knight, you’ve likely spent time wandering the land, working as a sellsword or freerider. You may seek anointing as a true knight, but most of your kind have no illusions about the likelihood of such honors. Tournaments and jousts provide you with important opportunities, both to make money and to demonstrate skill to noble observers who might wish to hire knights. Hedge knights tailor their fighting style to large scale cavalry battles and organized tournaments, focusing on defeating one enemy knight at a time. HARD-WON SEASONING When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you have received a modicum of informal instruction in the knightly arts, but also know some other tricks that may not be so knightly. You have advantage on saving throws made to avoid falling off your mount. If you fall off your mount and descend no more than 10 feet, you can land on your feet if you’re not incapacitated. You also gain proficiency in your choice of one of the following skills: Athletics, Deception, Intimidation, Perception, Sleight of Hand,

65 Stealth, or Survival. Finally, when you make a Charisma (Deception) check to pass as a member of a different social class, to pretend at better or worse fighting prowess than you actually have, or to feign being wounded or unconscious, you are considered proficient in the Deception skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus. JOUSTER’S MARK At 3rd level, you can synchronize all your faculties to the ebb and flow of battle against a single opponent, instantly adapting your tactics to every move they make. As a bonus action, choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you. That creature is marked by you until the end of your next turn. You can also mark a creature without using a bonus action immediately after you hit it with a melee attack. This effect ends early if you are incapacitated or you die, if someone else marks the creature, or if you mark another creature. While it is within 5 feet of you, a creature marked by you has disadvantage on any attack roll that doesn't target you. When you hit a creature marked by you with a weapon attack, or when you mark a creature by hitting it, you can roll a d4 and add the result to the damage. A creature that takes this extra damage suffers disadvantage on the next opportunity attack it makes before the start of your next turn. The die you roll for the extra damage from this feature changes when you reach certain levels in this class. The die becomes a d6 at 5th level, a d8 at 10th level, a d10 at 16th level, and a d12 at 20th level. TOURNEY VETERAN By 7th level, you’ve seen your share of jousting tourneys and mounted combat. Mounting or dismounting a creature costs you only 5 feet of movement, rather than half your speed. You always know the current gambling odds on any public game, competition, or sport taking place within 30 miles of your current location or any place you visited within the past 24 hours. In addition, whenever you make a Strength or Dexterity check that is contested by another creature’s ability check, you can roll a d6 and add the number rolled to your result. BATTLEFIELD OPPORTUNIST Starting at 10th level, whenever you attack during another creature’s turn (such as when you make an opportunity attack), you have advantage on the first attack roll you make during that turn. DEVASTATING CRITICAL Starting at 15th level, when you score a critical hit with a weapon attack, you gain a bonus to that weapon’s damage roll equal to your level in this class. DUELING MASTERY Beginning at 18th level, you have developed a knack for turning failure to success against a single opponent. If you miss with an attack against a creature that is marked by you, you can choose to roll the attack again with advantage. Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until the next time you roll initiative. HEDGE KNIGHTS IN OTHER D&D WORLDS Amid the fine pavilions of landed knights at tourney or war, hedge knights can usually be found in humble tents, or even sleeping rough under the stars. Nobles tend to look down on them, and many hedge knights use this to their advantage, feigning incompetence or ill-health early in a tourney before betting on themselves and revealing their true prowess, increasing their winnings. In times of war, hedge knights who are not already part of a mercenary company arikely to be fielded as foragers, outriders, scouts, or auxiliary cavalry riders.

66 MARKING EFFECTS As introduced in the Cavalier martial archetype for fighters in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, certain effects (such as the Jouster’s Mark feature of a Hedge Knight and the new fighting style Weaponmaster’s Mark) allow you to mark a target. While a creature is marked by you, whenever it is within 5 feet of you, that creature has disadvantage on any attack roll it makes that doesn’t target you. The design intent is that by marking a target and making it harder for it to harm your allies, you call it out and motivate it to fight you before anyone else. Particular features may add additional effects when you mark a creature as well. In order to prevent abuse of marking effects, they come with the limitation that your mark ends early if you are incapacitated or you die, or if someone else marks the creature. This prevents multiple creatures marking the same target and imposing disadvantage on its attack rolls against all creatures, allowing the rule to work as intended and motivate a target to focus on the creature that marked it. As a result, marking effects will generally always include some version of this rules language. This language causes certain interactions you might not expect. For example, by the rules as written, if a cavalier marked a target with Unwavering Mark, and then someone else cast the hunter’s mark spell on the same target, the cavalier’s mark would end, since the text of the hunter’s mark spell says you choose a target and “mystically mark it”, and the mark ends when another creature marks the same target. Conversely, some effects that seem like they should count as marking effects for purposes of this rules mechanic don’t interact with a mark at all (probably because they were written before the effects of marking were codified in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything). The DM may decide that some of these effects—such as the compelled duel spell or the Goading Attack maneuver of the Battle Master archetype in the fighter class—do count as marking under these rules. No further changes to such effects are necessary, other than noting that they mark the target. LAMPLIGHTER The elite order of investigators known as the Lamplighters arose in the domain of Mordent. Once a small force of full-time watchmen, now their talents are called upon by towns large and small all across Mordent and beyond. A fighter with the Lamplighter archetype has the kinds of perceptive and investigative skills normally reserved for a rogue or ranger, and the sort of disciplined intellect nurtured by wizards. They specialize in discerning clues in the appearance and other features of a particular criminal or other opponent, gaining decisive advantages in bringing that foe to justice. DETECTIVE DIE At 3rd level, you gain one detective die, which has a starting die size of d6 at this level. Your detective die has five potential sizes, listed here from lowest to highest: d4, d6, d8, d10, and d12. Changing Die Sizes. When you decrease your detective die size, it becomes a die of a size one

67 lower. For example, if you decrease the die size of a d6, it becomes a d4. Conversely, if you increase a die size, the die becomes one size higher, such as a d6 becoming a d8. You cannot increase the die size of your detective die above its starting die size. When you would decrease the die size of your detective die, if its current die size is d4, its size does not increase. Instead, it becomes unusable to you until the next time you finish a long rest. Careful Investigator. Whenever you make an Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Insight) check, you can roll your detective die and gain a bonus on the check equal to your result. Detect Weakness. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, if you have succeeded on an ability check to discern information about the target within the past hour, you can roll your detective die and add the result to the damage dealt. You can deal this extra damage only once per turn. Methodical Deduction. When you fail an Intelligence or Wisdom check that includes your proficiency bonus, you can choose to reroll that check with advantage. You must use the second roll. After the check is resolved, you immediately decrease the die size of your detective die. Starting Die Size. Your detective die resets to its starting die size whenever you finish a long rest. Starting die size increases as you gain levels in this class, becoming a d8 at 9th level, a d10 at 13th level, and a d12 at 17th level. READ CREATURE At 3rd level, you can uncover hidden information about those you meet by studying their mannerisms, tiny scuffs on their clothing, and so forth. As a bonus action, choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you and make an Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Insight) check (your choice), contested by that creature’s Charisma (Deception) check. If you succeed, you immediately learn whether the creature has any damage immunities, resistances, or vulnerabilities, and you learn what they are. At the DM’s discretion, you also deduce one of the following pieces of information about the target: a recent location it has visited, an object it has handled, a person it has spoken with, or one of its personality traits (if any). Once you target a creature with this feature, without you succeed or fail, you cannot target that particular creature with it again for 1 minute. PENETRATING INSIGHT At 7th level, when you make an Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Insight) check against a creature you have spent at least 1 minute interacting with or observing outside of combat during the past hour, you have advantage on your ability check for that feature. In addition, when you use your Read Creature feature, you learn additional information about the target. The DM tells you if the creature is your equal, superior, or inferior in regard to two of the following characteristics of your choice: An ability score of your choice Armor Class Current hit points Total class levels (if any) Levels in a particular class (if any) At the DM’s option, you might also realize you know a piece of the creature’s history. TWENTY MOVES AHEAD At 10th level, you can see through opponents' deceptions and anticipate their actions. All Charisma (Deception) checks against you are made at disadvantage. In addition, when an attack roll hits you or a creature within 30 feet of you that can hear you, you can use your reaction to roll your detection die. The attacker takes a penalty equal to the number rolled on all attack rolls against the creature its attack targeted, possibly causing the triggering attack to miss. This penalty lasts until

68 the end of the turn. A creature that you cannot see, or that has succeeded on a Charisma (Deception) check against you within the past minute, does not take the penalty. RELIABLE DEDUCTION At 15th level, whenever you finish a short rest, if the die size of your detective die has been decreased, you can increase the size of your detective die by one. In addition, whenever you make an Intelligence check or Wisdom check that includes your proficiency bonus, you can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10. MEMORY PALACE At 18th level, you can accurately recall anything you have seen or heard within the past month. If you gain this feature from another source, you can accurately recall anything you have seen or heard within the past year. IN THE DOMAINS OF DREAD The Lamplighters were created by Mordentshire's sheriff, Owen Finhallen, and Sir Samuel Cosse, a noble who had served for years as a member of Mordentshire's volunteer watch. Though Mordentshire had relatively little criminal activity for a city of its size, a sizable percentage of crimes still went unsolved. They attributed this to the lack of professional training among their comrades. They chose the most talent watch members, employed them as full-time crime-fighters, and grew them into an elite order dedicated to solving crimes. Sir Samuel has become the de facto leader of the Lamplighters, keeping a close eye even on those agents who are posted in distant locales. Indeed, the Lamplighters are now spreading beyond the towns of Mordent and into other domains, where Lamplighters receive permanent duty watching larger settlements. In so doing, they grow their order’s reputation while gathering information on the various occult threats that have threatened those under their protection. Still, Sir Samuel keeps the order’s numbers small, ensuring that he employs only the most gifted investigators, and rejecting those who show any inclination to abuse their authority. Regardless of social, gender, or race, all are permitted to attempt the rigorous test of mental and physical prowess required to apply, as long as they have at least two years service in the Mordentshire watch or a similar group. Candidates from law enforcement organizations that show any sign of corruption or absence of accountability are rejected. Those who pass such test and vetting and then complete their training successfully must be inducted by Sir Samuel or another ranking member. They are expected to abide by all laws of Mordent and other communities they serve, ensure unsolved crimes that reach their attention are investigated, deescalate any tense situations, and use violence only as a last resort. Any Lamplighter who fails to live up to these obligations, disobeys lawful orders from a superior (including local leaders), accepts bribes, fails to help those in need, or commits a crime is forced to leave the service. Today, respect for the Lamplighters is nearly universal—no small feat in the often reserved and suspicious Domains of Dread. ERRANT MASTER Life as an adventurer is part of your path to perfect mastery of your chosen arms. You wander the land in a constant quest to grow and hone your martial skills, unprotected by any family, feudal household, or school. In your travels, you also challenge local champions, test yourself against the leading students of fighting academies, study new and different martial styles, perform bodyguard and mercenary work, seek possible service with worthy new lords, and learn complex arts such as calligraphy in pursuit of discipline and self-control. If you live long enough to attract students, and do not dismiss them, you may even found a school of your own. In the Forgotten Realms, fighters of this archetype fill a traditional role in tales and folklore. In lands that boast strong samurai traditions, such as the island nations of Kozakura and Wa, fighters of this martial archetype are known as ronin or shugyōsha, and are almost exclusively masterless swordmasters who once trained as samurai. In the land of Shou Lung and T’u Lung, they are Youxia or wandering vigilantes. In the

69 Moonshae Isles, legends tell of similar warriors forming wandering warbands called fianna. Some of this archetype’s features allow you to cast spells. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for all spells gained from this archetype. KI TRAINING At 3rd level when you choose this martial archetype, you gain proficiency with calligrapher’s tools if you don’t already have it. You also learn your choice of two of the following cantrips: blade ward, booming blade XGtE , challenger’s mark*, guidance, resistance, or true strike. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these cantrips. DISCIPLINED MASTERY Starting at 3rd level, your intense training becomes a spiritual discipline comparable to the fighting arts of a monk, giving you limited insight into ki, the mysterious elemental energy that suffuses living things. You gain ki 2 points, which you can spend to fuel various ki features (these ki points are added to any ki you have from another source). You gain additional ki points as your gain levels in this class, as shown on the Errant Master Ki Points table. ERRANT MASTER KI POINTS Fighter Level Ki Points Fighter Level Ki Points 3rd 2 13th 6 5th 3 15th 7 8th 4 18th 8 10th 5 20th 9 Regaining Ki. When you spend a ki point, it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at the end of which you draw all of your expended ki back into yourself. You must spend at least 30 minutes of the rest meditating to regain your ki points. Ki Features. At 3rd level, you know three Ki Features: Insightful Strike, Step of the Wind, and Waverider Style. At 5th level, you gain an additional ki feature, Air Dragon Stance. INSIGHTFUL STRIKE When you make a weapon attack with a ranged weapon or a weapon you are holding with one hand, you can spend 2 ki points to add a bonus to the attack roll equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). This attack scores a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20. STEP OF THE WIND You can spend 1 ki point to take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action on your turn, and your jump distance is doubled for the turn. WAVERIDER STYLE You can spend 1 ki point as a bonus action to enter this fighting stance, which lasts for 1 minute. Until this stance ends, your walking speed increases by 10 feet, and whenever you hit a creature with a weapon attack, that creature takes an extra 1d8 damage of the weapon’s type if you have already hit it with one or more weapon attacks since the end of your last turn. AIR DRAGON STANCE At 5th level, as a bonus action, you can spend 2 ki points to cast expeditious retreat, Quivaelyn’s wind stepping stance*, or zephyr strike XGtE . ACCUSTOMED WANDERER Once you reach 7th level, when you enter any settlement with a population of 100 or more, you quickly gathering information about your new environs. At the end of the first hour you spend in such a place, at the DM’s discretion, you

70 learn three pieces of information about one or more of the following subjects related to the settlement: major local criminal organizations and cult activities significant underground tunnels or architecture popular religious groups and places of worship powerful figures in government and commerce individuals who inspire great awe or fear (such as archmages or legendary warriors) basic demographics of the population (percentage of humans and other races, etc.) rumors of monsters dwelling in the settlement or nearby (including below it) any large wilderness areas inside or close to the settlement other settlements or cultures nearby For example, if you entered a new city and used this ability, you might determine its most powerful thieves’ guild, the locations of temples that can provide magical healing, and which graveyards people say are haunted by undead. When you return to a settlement you’ve already visited on a previous day, you can use this feature again, and it only takes 30 minutes due to your existing familiarity. Once you use this future, you cannot do so again until the next time you finish a long rest. MYSTICAL PROWESS At 7th level, you add your proficiency bonus to your Dexterity checks for initiative, and your unarmed strikes and weapon attacks count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. In addition, whenever you score a critical hit, you regain a number of spent ki points equal to half your profiency bonus. ADDITIONAL FIGHTING STYLE At 10th level, you can choose a second option from the Fighting Style feature. PERFECTED ACCURACY At 15th level, when you miss with a weapon attack, you can choose to reroll it. You must use the second roll. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you make no attack rolls on one of your turns. MAGEGUARD Familiar with magic and conditioned for loyalty, you excel as a bodyguard and enforcer for important spellcasters. Whether you lead troops in the service of powerful wizards into battle, guard hidden enclaves of magical secret societires, or simply fight back-to-back with a fellow adventurer who uses magic, you ensure that these powerful yet physically vulnerable persons cannot be threatened unless the enemy goes through you first. Most fighters of this martial archetype are trained in service to larger order of mages, or even the ruling class of a magocracy. Others gain their first experience fighting alongside a close friend or relative who is a spellcaster. Even if you no longer go into battle with the same allies, you are at your best fighting in concert with magic-users. You excel in defending any comrade who can eliminate enemies at range while you deal with closer targets. ADEPT PROTECTOR By 3rd level when you choose this archetype, you have undergone specialized training or empowering rituals that you combine with your own experience and knowledge of magic to gain the following benefits: You have advantage on all saving throws against effects that would cause you to be charmed or frightened.

71 You are proficient with the Arcana and Intimidate skills, and when you make an ability check with the Intimidate skill, you add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus. You learn your choice of two cantrips from any class’s spell list that requireyou tomake a melee weapon attack as part of the casting (such as booming blade XGtE or greenflame blade XGtE ). Your spellcasting ability for these cantrips is your choice of Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma. ARCANE LOYALTIES At 3rd level when you gain this feature, choose up to three specific spellcasters, or one specific group of spellcasters (such as the Fraternity of Shadows, the Red Wizards of Thay, the artificers of House Cannith, clerics of a specific faith, the Simic Combine, the Harpell family, etc.) to be the subjects of your arcane loyalty. Whenever you are within 5 feet of a spellcaster that is the subject of your arcane loyalty, if a hostile creature provokes an opportunity attack from you, you can use your reaction to cast a cantrip targeting that creature instead of making an opportunity attack. The cantrip must be one that requires an attack roll and normally has a casting time of 1 action (you change the casting time to 1 reaction for this casting). Whenever a spellcaster that is the subject of your arcane loyalty casts a spell, if you would make a saving throw against that spell, the spellcaster can choose to grant you advantage on that saving throw. However, the spellcaster can also choose to give you disadvantage on such a saving throw instead. (Unscrupulous casters use the latter ability to exert greater control over their trained bodyguards.) RED AEGIS Starting at 7th level, you can protect a chosen ally with a red aegis, a shimmering shield of smoldering crimson energy that binds your own life energy to protect the target. As a bonus action, you can grant a red aegis to one allied creature you can see within 60 feet of you. Any bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage the target takes is reduced by an amount equal to your proficency bonus plus your Constitution modifier (minimum 1). This effect lasts for 1 minute, until you use it again, or until you are incapacitated. In addition, for the same duration, when a creature you can see within 60 feet of you hits the protected target with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to cast aegis of ensnarement as a 4th-level spell without using a spell slot. Your spellcasting ability for this spell is the same as the one you chose for the cantrips you learned from your Adept Protector feature. Once you reach 11th level, whenever you cast aegis of ensnarement in this way, you cast it as JUSTICAR SPELLS RANGER LEVEL SPELLS 3rd cause fear XGtE 5th detect thoughts 9th slow 13th locate creature 17th legend lore

72 a 6th-level spell. When you reach 17th level, you cast it as a 9th-level spell. FINAL STAND At 10th level, you can inspire your followers or allies to fight through adversity. When you use your Second Wind feature, you can choose up to six creatures within 30 feet that can see or hear you. Each chosen creature gains a number of temporary hit points equal to half the number of hit points you regain from your use of Second Wind (adding your Constitution modifier to that number if the creature is the subject of your arcane loyalty or is currently under the protection of your red aegis). MAGE’S CHAMPION At 15th level, you attain unmatched prowess in fighting alongside spellcasting allies. When you use your action to cast a cantrip that requires an attack roll, you can make one melee weapon attack as a bonus action. In addition, when you use your Action Surge feature, you can choose one creature within 60 feet of you that is allied with you. Provided it can hear or see you, that creature can use its reaction to make one weapon attack or to cast a spell that normally has a casting time of 1 action. MASTER OF THE RED AEGIS Beginning at 18th level, when you use your red aegis to protect an ally, you can choose up to three creatures to gain its benefits. WATCHER ON THE WALL You are a member of a sworn alliance that defends civilization from dire threats, patrolling the fortifications on a remote frontier. The oath you share bonds you and your comrades together as family, foreswearing all outside ambitions and any social ranks or obligations to which you were born. Such martial orders take many forms. Perhaps you traded a legal sentence of death for a new life among the watchers on a wall at the frozen frontier of the known world, or you were raised from birth in a legion that keeps the peace in a city on the edge of a desert caliphate; perhaps you swore to patrol the wild border between an embattled kingdom and the shadow of an ancient enemy. Wherever you serve, you seldom enjoy civilian comforts. You spend long hours training in armor amid the extreme conditions of your protectorate and its adjoining wilds, whether they be scorching deserts, frozen forestlands, or inhospitable wastes. Your fighting style relies on this indomitable vigor, and on leveraging the tactical advantages provided by close collaboration with allies. STALWART ALLY Beginning at 3rd level when you choose this archetype, you have a highly trained ability to support your comrades-in-arms. This is represented by your stalwart die, which you roll as a bonus to certain rolls, as part of the following features. The Stalwart Die. Your stalwart die begins as a d4, but changes as you gain levels in this class, as shown on the following table. STALWART DIE PROGRESSION FIGHTER LEVEL STALWART DIE 3rd 1d4 5th 1d6 9th 1d8 13th 1d10 17th 1d12 Improved Help. When you use the Help action to give an ally advantage on an attack roll, if that attack hits, the ally can roll your stalwart die and add the number rolled to the damage inflicted by the attack. Stalwart Mark. When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can mark the creature until the end of your next turn. This effect ends early if you are incapacitated or you die, or if someone else marks the creature. There is no limit to the number of creatures that can be marked by you at once. While it is within

73 5 feet of you, a creature marked by you has disadvantage on any attack roll that doesn't target you. While a creature marked by you is within 5 feet of you, you can use the Help action as a bonus action to assist an ally in striking the marked creature. Steadfast Morale. Whenever you must make a saving throw against becoming frightened or exhausted, you can roll your stalwart die and add the number rolled to the saving throw. Vigilant Mark. When you make an opportunity attack against a creature marked by you, you can roll your stalwart die and add the number rolled to your attack roll. STEEL YOURSELF At 3rd level, the unforgiving training regimen you live by helps you to resist extreme temperatures of your home territory. Choose one of the following: Colder Climate. You are considered naturally adapted to cold climates while you are wearing armor, and when you take cold damage, you can use your reaction to roll your stalwart die. Add your proficiency bonus to the number rolled and reduce the damage by that total. Warmer Climate. You are considered naturally adapted to hot climates while you are not wearing heavy armor, and when you take fire damage, you can use your reaction to roll your stalwart die. Add your proficiency bonus to the number rolled and reduce the damage by that total. ORDER ENEMY At 7th level, you have made a greater study of your order’s greatest enemies. Choose one type of humanoid (such as humans, goblins, or lycanthropes). Creatures that are either undead or of the chosen humanoid type are considered your order enemies. Whenever you make an Intelligence or Wisdom check to discern information about a creature that is your order enemy, you roll your stalwart die and add the number rolled to your ability check. In addition, when you miss with an attack roll against a creature within 5 feet of you that is your legion enemy, you can mark that creature with your Stalwart Ally feature, just as if your attack had hit. At 18th level, choose one of the following creature types, which also becomes one of your order enemies: aberrations, beasts, giants, dragons, or a second type of humanoid. TENACIOUS COMRADE Starting at 10th level, when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, if the target is below its hit point maximum or is your legion enemy, you can roll your stalwart die and add the number rolled to the damage inflicted by the attack. MARKS OF RANK At 15th level, you have attained a powerful reputation in your chosen alliance, developing a natural mien of authority that demands respect and inspires courage, even from those unaware of your standing. Whenever you make a Charisma (Intimidation) check, or any kind of Charisma check to interact with members of a military organization, you can roll your stalwart die and add the number rolled to your ability check. In addition, when you use your Action Surge feature, choose an ally that can see or hear you within 30 feet, and then roll your stalwart die, adding half your fighter level to the number rolled. The total is the number of temporary hit points you and the chosen ally gain. When a creature (including you) gains these temporary hit points, it can immediately use its reaction to move up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks. HONORED COMMANDER Starting at 18th level, you become a legendary role-model in your organization, regardless of your actual rank. While a creature still has the temporary hit points from your Marks of Rank

74 feature, it has advantage on Wisdom saving throws. In addition, while you are within 5 feet of a creature that is marked by you, melee weapon attacks against that creature score a critical hit on a roll of 19–20. NEW FIGHTING STYLE OPTIONS You can select the following additional options for the Fighting Style feature a fighter gains at 1st level. DAISHO When you wield a versatile weapon in one hand and a light weapon in your other hand, the versatile weapon gains the light and finesse weapon properties. DUSKBLADE You learn two cantrips of your choice from the warlock spell list. Neither of the cantrips you choose can have a range greater than 60 feet. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of these cantrips with another cantrip from the warlock spell list. (If you gain spells from the martial archetype you choose at 3rd level, you can cast these cantrips as spells from that archetype, but they do not count against the number of spells you know.) GRAPPLING When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike or an improvised weapon attack, you can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage, and the target rolls with disadvantage the next time it makes an attack roll, Strength check, or Dexterity check before the end of its next turn. HARRIER When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike or a melee attack using a weapon that doesn't have the two-handed or heavy property, the creature's speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of its next turn. MOBILITY As long as you are not wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield, you have a climbing speed equal to your normal speed, and you gain a +1 bonus to AC. MOUNTED While you are mounted, unmounted creatures you hit with weapon attacks can’t make opportunity attacks against you or your mount for the rest of the turn if they are smaller than your mount, and you can re-roll any weapon damage die that rolls a 1. You must use the new roll. POINT BLANK SHOT Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature does not impose disadvantage on your ranged attacks, and when you hit a creature within 30 feet of you with a ranged attack, you gain a +2 bonus on the damage roll. SIEGE WARFARE When you have cover against an attack, and the attack still hits, you have resistance against that attack's damage. WEAPONMASTER’S MARK When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can use a bonus action to mark the creature until the end of your next turn. This effect ends early if you are incapacitated or you die, or if someone else marks the creature. While it is within 5 feet of you, a creature marked by you has disadvantage on any attack roll that doesn’t target you. When you make an opportunity attack, you have advantage on the attack roll if the target is marked by you.

75 THE MONK In the Domains of Dread, monastic traditions grow across many different cultures, not merely among those with philosophies based around ki or the martial arts. Realms as varied as Barovia, Rokushima Táiyoo, Nova Vaasa, or Kalidnay boast monasteries of their own, usually hidden. Sri Raji’s monks test their inner strength by punishing their own bodies, such as by piercing their flesh with iron skewers and hooks. Sithican elves gather in hidden caves, where they silently practice the disciplined teachings of a contemplative deity symbolized by roses and insects. Tales also exist of lone monks who wander other domains. Rather than joining monasteries, these monks study under a single master, in turn passing on their teachings to a single apprentice. By this means, complex traditions have been preserved across generations, unnoticed by tyrannical rulers who would seek to suppress them. New Monastic Traditions WAY OF THE BOUNDLESS MIND A small and esoteric monastic tradition, these monks learn to channel their ki through the unlocked psychic capabilities of an awakened consciousness. They teach that the boundaries that isolate individuals are illusory, and that all mortal minds are linked, both to each other and to the divine. Through focused meditation and physical discipline, they unite their minds and bodies while learning to link their own thoughts with those of others around them. CONTEMPLATIVE FOCUS Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you have mastered the rudiments of your tradition’s psychic training. You can communicate telepathically to any creature you can see within 120 feet of you. You don’t need to share a language with the creature for it to understand your telepathic messages, but the creature must be able to understand at least one language or be telepathic itself. You also learn the mage hand and minor illusion cantrips. When you cast mage hand, the spectral hand is made of invisible force and cannot be seen. When you cast the minor illusion cantrip, you can use both options (sound and image) if you wish, rather than just one. PSYCHIC SPELLS At 3rd level, you can manipulate your mental ki to cast certain spells. Choose three 1st-level divination or enchantment spells, each of which can be from any class’s spell lisr. You can cast those spells by spending ki points, spending a number of ki points equal to 1 + the spell’s level each time you cast one. You learn additional divination or enchantment spells of your choice as your level in this class increases, as shown in the Unbound Mind Spell table. The spell also

76 shows the maximum level of spells you can learn from this monastic tradition. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the enchantment or divination spells you know and replace it with another enchantment or divination spell that does not exceed the maximum spell level shown on the Unbound Mind Spell table. Once you reach 5th level in this class, you can spend additional ki points to increase the level of a psychic spell that you cast, provided that the spell has an enhanced effect at a higher level, as dissonant whispers does. The spell’s level increases by 1 for each additional ki point you spend. For example, if you are a 5th-level monk and you cast dissonant whispers, you can spend 3 ki points to cast it as a 2nd-level spell (the spell’s base cost of 2 ki points plus 1). The maximum number of ki points you can spend to cast a spell in this way (including its base ki point cost and any additional ki points you spend to increase its level) is determined by your monk level, as shown in the table below. PSYCHIC FIST At 6th level, you can spend 2 ki points as a bonus action to empower your blows with powerful psychic energy. The next time you hit with a unarmed strike or an attack with a monk weapon before the end of your next turn, the attack deals an extra 2d6 force damage to the target, plus an extra 1d6 force damage for each additional ki point you spend. A Large or smaller creature that takes this force damage must succeed on a Strength saving throw or you can push it up to 15 feet away from you and knock it prone. The maximum number of ki points you can spend on a use of this feature is equal to your proficiency bonus. In addition, as a reaction when you would take psychic damage, you can spend 1 ki point to give yourself resistance to psychic damage until the end of your next turn. UNASSAILABLE MIND Starting at 11th level, you are immune to the charmed condition, you have advantage on Intelligence and Charisma saving throws, and your thoughts can’t be read by telepathy or other means unless you allow it. REACTIVE SPIRIT At 17th level, whenever a creature deals psychic damage to you or hits you with a melee attack, you can spend 1 ki point as a reaction to force that creature to make an Intelligence saving throw. If the creature fails, it takes psychic damage equal to 2d10 + your Wisdom modifier, and until the end of your next turn its speed is reduced by half and it cannot take reactions. If the creature succeeds, it takes half as much psychic damage but suffers no other effects. IN THE DOMAINS OF DREAD Barovia is home to the largest group of these monks, who devote themselves to lawful good ways and call themselves the Order of Contemplative Power. They strive to perfect their minds in a hidden monastery outside the Barovian village of Immol. Some believe Strahd is unaware of them, but in fact he has suffered the monks to live within the confines of Barovia so long as they do not challenge his authority. (Secretly, he is curious about their psychic powers as well.) In the lonesome city of Paridon, practitioners of this tradition meld its practices with occult lodge traditions to create the "theological philosophy" called the Divinity of Mankind. This is also one of many monastic traditions practiced in Rokushima Táiyoo, but like other monks there, disciples of the Boundless Mind are frequently drawn into that domain’s endless strife. UNBOUND MIND SPELL TABLE MONK LEVEL MAX. SPELL LEVEL SPELLS KNOWN MAX. KI POINTS FOR A SPELL 3rd 1st 3 2 5th 2nd 4 3 7th 2nd 5 3 9th 3rd 6 4 11th 3rd 7 4 13th 4th 8 5 15th 4th 9 5 17th 5th 10 6 19th 5th 11 6

77 WAY OF THE FACELESS Death wears many faces. Across many cultures and faiths, the inevitability of death remains undeniable. The monks called the Faceless usher living beings from this world to whatever lies beyond, and that their sacred duty is to speed that passage when necessary. Unlike members of evil cults who fetishize death and suffering, disciples of this tradition choose their targets carefully, with divine guidance. Death ends all pain, but not every creature is ready for such a merciful gift― these monks may kill mortal creatures, but they do not presume to judge them. They are bound never to risk harm to bystanders in the process of striking their chosen quarry. To ensure they perform their vocation in the service of fate rather than their own will, monks of this tradition completely give up the names and lives they knew before their initiation. They take on whatever identities best assist them in their holy task, and master subtle arts of precision that allow them to end lives with speed and efficiency. Anyone asking the Faceless monks to end a life must pay an exorbitant price. Though they function like paid assassins in a guild, the monks turn down many commissions. If their prayerful meditations determine that it is not the requested target’s appointed time, they make their price too high to pay. If not, the cost is always within the petitioner’s means, but still so great that paying it requires a dear sacrifice. GIFTS OF MANY FACES Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can use your ki to duplicate the effects of certain spells without the need for any components. As an action, you can spend 1 ki point to cast disguise self, or 2 ki points to cast alter self, detect thoughts, or pass without trace. Whenever you spend 2 or more ki points at once to cast a spell with this feature, you also gain blindsight out to 60 feet for 1 minute. As you gain levels, you can cast more spells with this feature. At 6th level, you can spend 2 ki points as a bonus action to cast branding smite, hunter’s mark, or zephyr strike XGtE . At

78 11th level, you can spend 5 ki points to cast locate creature as an action, or staggering smite as a bonus action. At 17th level, you can spend 9 ki points as an action to cast glibness or mind blank. EXECUTION STRIKE Starting at 6th level, when you have advantage on an attack roll with a monk weapon or unarmed strike, if the attack hits, you can spend 2 or more ki points to deal extra damage to the target. The extra damage is 2d10 for 2 ki points, plus 1d10 for each additional ki point. The damage is of the same type as the damage of your weapon or unarmed strike. The maximum number of ki points you can spend on this feature at once is equal to your proficiency bonus. In addition, when you make an attack roll with an unarmed strike or your monk weapons against a creature that hasn’t taken a turn in this combat yet, you have advantage on the attack roll, and you score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 for that attack. UNCANNY DISGUISE Starting at 11th level, while you have access to the corpse of a humanoid that died within the last 8 hours, you can perform a 1-hour ritual to create an uncanny disguise that allows you to assume its identity. You can don the disguise immediately, or keep it for later use. The maximum number of uncanny disguises you can possess at once is equal to 1 + your proficiency bonus. If you create a new uncanny disguise when you already have your maximum number of them, the oldest of your uncanny disguises vanishes. You can destroy one of your uncanny disguises as a bonus action. Due to hours of practice, when you don one of these uncanny disguises, you may do so as an action. When you do so, the disguise vanishes, becoming a part of you and causing you to look like the dead person, but healthy and alive. This disguise lasts until you end it as a bonus action, at which point the disguise reappears in your hands. While you're in an uncanny disguise, you gain access to all information that the humanoid would freely share with a casual acquaintance. Such information includes general details on its background and personal life, but doesn't include secrets. The information is enough that you can pass yourself off as the person by drawing on its memories. Another creature can see through this disguise by succeeding on a Wisdom (Insight) check contested by your Charisma (Deception) check. When you make this Charisma (Deception) check, you gain a +5 bonus to your roll. NAMELESS SHADOW When you reach 17th level, you can take two turns during the first round of any combat. You take your first turn at your normal initiative and your second turn at your initiative minus 10. You can't use this feature when you are surprised. WAY OF THE INCARNATE ANCESTOR Monks of this tradition follow a system of faith that teaches belief in an ongoing cycle of reincarnation. Often, believers see themselves as see themselves as spiritual descendants of their previous incarnations. Most practicing monks of these orders have at least a tenuous connection to their past lives, striving to recall them and learn lessons in pursuit of further enlightenment, but for you, the connection to your past lives is more tangible. Practicing this monastic tradition has allowed you to call forth your own spirit as it existed years or centuries ago to advise you, protect you, and confound your enemies. Those who have the temerity to face you in battle learn that they aren’t fighting just the present-day incarnation of you, but also every incarnation of you that has ever been.

79 IN THE DOMAINS OF DREAD The main practitioners of this monastic tradition are in the domains of Kalakeri and Rokushima Táiyoo, where belief in reincarnation are more common. However, in Barovia, an increasing number of locals are finding they remember what they believe to be past lives, and a circle of monks as arrived in Vallaki, where they do their best to hide their existence while teaching students how to get in touch with prior incarnations. ANCESTRAL TECHNIQUE When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you gain the ability to call upon the knowledge of your ancestors in both peaceful and warlike pursuits. Whenever you finish a short rest, choose one simple or martial weapon and one skill. You gain proficiency in the chosen weapon and the chosen skill until the next time you finish a long rest. You gain certain special benefits with the chosen weapon, as follows: You choose whether to use Dexterity or Strength for the attack and damage rolls of the weapon. If you hit with both an attack with the chosen weapon and an unarmed strike against the same target during your turn, you can spend 1 ki point to force the creature struck to make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes an extra 2d10 bludgeoning damage, plus an extra 1d10 bludgeoning damage for each additional ki point you spend, and you may push the creature up to 10 feet away from you and knock it prone. The maximum number of ki points you can send on this effect (including its base ki point cost) is equal to your proficiency bonus. When you reach 6th level, the damage from this effect becomes magical force damage instead of bludgeoning damage. INCARNATE VISAGE You can draw upon the memories contained in the Adama to change your body into that of one of your past incarnations, who may have

80 been of a greatly different appearance or even of a different race. You can spend 2 ki points to cast alter self. PAST-LIFE ACOLYTES Starting at 6th level, with deep concentration, you can cause a ghostly incarnation of one of your past lives to step out of your body and help you perform an ancient ritual. When you gain this feature, choose two 1st-level spells that have the ritual tag from any class’s spell list (the two needn’t be from the same list). The enlightened knowledge of your ancestors allows you to cast the chosen spells as rituals. You cannot cast these spells except as rituals, unless you’ve learned them by some other means. Whenever you gain a monk level, you can choose another ritual spell and add it to the list of those you cast with this feature. The spell’s level must be equal to or less than half your monk level (rounded up). RESURGENT KI At 6th level, spending ki grants allows you to draw reinvigorating energy from your spiritual ancestors. When you spend a ki point during your turn, you may roll your Martial Arts damage die and your proficiency bonus to the result. The total is the number of hit points you regain. You can use this feature three times, regaining all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest. GUARDIANS OF DESTINY At 11th level, you can summon a small number of translucent spirits out of your body to interpose themselves between you and an enemy. You can spend 3 ki points to cast spirit guardians as 3rd-level spell without using any material components. You can spend additional ki points to increase the level of this spell when you cast it. The spell's level increases by 1 for each additional ki point you spend. The maximum number of ki points you can spend to cast spirit guardians with this feature (including its base ki point cost) is equal to your proficiency bonus. SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE At 11th level, your past lives’ advice is a constant source of knowledge. Right before you make an Intelligence or a Wisdom check, you can give yourself advantage on the check. You can use this feature three times, and you regain expended uses when you finish a long rest. VANGUARD OF THE ANCESTORS Beginning at 17th level, you can summon spirit after spirit to leap out of your body, each attacking a nearby enemy, then leaping back inside of you, invigorating you as they return. As an action, spend 9 ki points and choose any number of creatures within 30 feet. Each creature you choose must each roll a Dexterity saving throw. Fiends and aberrations have disadvantage on this saving throw. On a failure, they take 9d8 psychic damage, and on a success, they take half as much. For each creature damaged by this effect, you regain 5 hit points, up to a maximum of 5 times your monk level. Once you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest. IN OTHER D&D WORLDS In the region of Faerûn known as the Shining Lands, society is united by a spiritual philosophy called the Adama. Outsiders often consider the Adama a religion, but it also a system for understanding all other religions. It preaches the oneness of all things, for the Adama is a unifying world-spirit that manifests as everything: the gods, the world, and everything in it are merely aspects of this single divine force. Mortals can become one with it by being reincarnated many times on this progress towards enlightenment. One strives to live righteously, in the hopes of receiving a better reincarnation, for each rebirth reflects the deeds of the previous life. Since all is one, a crime against anyone is a danger to one’s self, and risks one’s next incarnation; hard work and honesty are key to a righteous life.

81 WAY OF THE SIGHTLESS STRIKE You study spiritual martial arts that channel your ki through your nonvisual senses, allowing you to visualize your environment even when you cannot see. This highly meditative martial tradition seeks to unify your body, senses, and mind, and many of its techniques are practiced blindfolded. Its primary goals are truth, selfknowledge, and presence in the moment. A primary tool for teaching this art is the bow, a weapon requiring simultaneous focus on the self and the distant target. A monk of this tradition treats its target as a mirror, a reflection of their own mind that is only as clear as the stillness of their thoughts. However, the lessons learned from the bow may be applied to all forms of combat. By precision and meditation, you learn to strike as well with your eyes closed as open, so long as your mind is clear. BOW INITIATE When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in shortbows and longbows, which become monk weapons for you. You also gain proficiency with carpenter’s tools, and have advantage on ability checks related to making or repairing bows or arrows. In addition, you learn the true strike cantrip, and you can spend 2 ki points to cast one of the following spells without using a spell slot or any components: you can spend 3 ki points to cast any of the following spells, without using a spell slot or any components: detect thoughts, find traps, hunter’s mark, or see invisibility. . EYELESS SIGHT Starting at 3rd level, you can give yourself a bonus to your initiative rolls equal to your Wisdom modifier, and you have blindsight with a range of 10 feet. Within that range, you can effectively see anything that isn’t behind total cover, even if you’re blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an invisible creature within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from you. In addition, when you attack with a monk weapon or unarmed strike, you can use your Wisdom modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity modifier, for the attack and damage rolls. MEDITATIVE AIM Beginning at 6th level, you practice a meditative martial technique when aiming ranged weapons (referred to in some traditions as Zen Archery). When you hit with an attack roll using a monk weapon or unarmed strike, you can spend a ki point to force the target to make a saving throw. You choose the type of saving throw and the effects of failing that save from the following options: Disarm. The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or drop one item of your choice that it is holding. You can pull the item up to 5 feet closer to you, or let it land at the target’s feet. Disorient. The target must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw. If it fails, it can’t take reactions until after the end of your next turn. Pin. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw. If it fails, until the end of its next turn, its speed becomes 0, and it can’t benefit from any bonus to its speed. Rattle. The target must succeed on a Charisma saving throw, or it has disadvantage on Wisdom and Charisma checks for 1 minute. Scare. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or it is frightened of you until the end of your next turn. Wound. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. If it fails, until the end of its next turn, it cannot regain hit points and has disadvantage on Constitution ability checks and saving throws.

82 You can spend additional ki points on this effect, causing the attack to deal an extra 1d8 damage for every ki point spent beyond the first. The maximum number of ki points you can spend on this feature each turn is equal to your proficiency bonus. FIGHTING STYLE At 11th level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose a fighting style from the list of options below. You can't take the same Fighting Style option more than once, even if you get to choose again. ARCHERY You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls made with ranged weapons. GRAPPLING When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike or an improvised weapon attack, you can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage, and the target rolls with disadvantage the next time it makes an attack roll, Strength check, or Dexterity check before the end of its next turn. HARRIER When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike or a melee attack using a weapon that doesn't have the two-handed or heavy property, the creature's speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of its next turn. MOBILITY As long as you are not wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield, you have a climbing speed equal to your normal speed, and you gain a +1 bonus to AC. POINT BLANK SHOT Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature does not impose disadvantage on your ranged attacks, and when you hit a creature within 30 feet of you with a ranged attack, you gain a +2 bonus on the damage roll. BLIND MASTERY Starting at 17th level, whenever you miss with a monk weapon or an unarmed strike during your turn, you can immediately make an additional attack. You can only gain one additional attack during your turn with this ability. In addition, if you are able to hear, you are aware of the location of any hidden or invisible creatures within 10 feet of you. NEW MARTIAL STANCE OPTIONS At 3rd level, when a monk would normally receive the Deflect Missiles feature, you can instead choose to gain one of the following martial stances. You can replace the chosen martial stance option with another one whenever you gain a monk level: Air Dragon Stance. As a bonus action, you can spend 2 ki points to enter a state of oneness with the air around you. For 1 minute, you can run up anything that has any substance, even if it could

83 not normally bear your weight: a cloud of dust, falling snowflakes, tiny branches, cherry blossoms on the breeze, and so on. For the same duration, you gain a climbing speed equal to your walking speed, and you can climb vertically, at an angle, or move horizontally, through any unoccupied space, as long as there is anything more substantial than air within that space and it is not more than 40 feet above a surface on which you could stand. Crane Wing Stance. This is identical to the Deflect Missiles feature of a 3rd-level monk Eagle Claw Stance. You can spend 2 ki points as a bonus action during your turn to take an amazing leap. Doing so allows you to fly up to 15 feet without provoking opportunity attacks. If you end this movement within 5 feet of one or more creatures, you have advantage on the next melee attack you make against one of those creatures before the end of the turn. Iron Flurry Stance. At the end of any turn in which you hit one or more creatures with an attack using your Flurry of Blows, you can spend 1 ki point to deal psychic damage equal to your Constitution or Wisdom modifier (your choice, minimum 1) to one of those creatures. A creature that takes this damage cannot take the Disengage action or make opportunity attacks until the start of your next turn. Lion’s Den Stance. At the end of your turn, if you hit at least one creature with a melee attack during that turn, you can spend 1 ki point to assume an offensive posture from which you can quickly sting any foe that draws near. Until the start of your next turn, whenever a creature moves within 5 feet of you, it provokes an opportunity attack from you. You add your Constitution or Wisdom modifier (your choice, minimum 1) to the damage that opportunity attack deals. If the opportunity attack misses, the target takes damage equal to your Constitution or Wisdom modifier (your choice, minimum 1). Menacing Tiger Stance. Once per turn, when you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 1 ki point to deal extra psychic damage equal to one roll of your Martial Arts die. If the creature is frightened or below its hit point maximum, it takes psychic damage equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die instead. Serpent Venom Stance. Whenever you hit a creature with a melee attack, you can spend 1 ki point to deal extra damage to it equal to your Constitution or Wisdom modifier (your choice, minimum 1) and reduce that creature’s speed by 15 feet until the end of your next turn. (The Martial Stance feature replaces a 3rd-level monk’s Deflect Missiles feature.)

84 THE PALADIN They say a paladin is chosen, not made, and in no world is this truer than in Ravenloft. To be a paladin here is to set yourself against the overwhelming forces of darkness and doom that seem to govern every one of the Domains of Dread. This is not only a life of thankless struggle, but one which attracts the notice of the Dark Powers. Where one might perceive clear divine guidance or inspiration in other worlds, here such voices are silent. Yet some greater force must compel paladins to this path, for who would choose it of their own accord? The forces that grant paladins their sacred gifts in the Land of Mists are as faceless as the Dark Powers themselves—in fact, some believe that in this realm, the Dark Powers are the source of a paladin’s powers. The proof offered for this is how often and quickly paladins blinded by self-righteousness become servants of the evil that rules these lands. Other scholars, however, point to evidence that paladins are an aberration in the grand tapestry the Dark Powers have woven for themselves. Larger forces seek to destroy those who swear a sacred oath, or provide them with fitting challenges to test, tempt, and corrupt them. It is the rare paladin who dies of old age here. Many become fatalistic, knowing that the examples they leave after their deaths will be as important as the actions they took in life. New Sacred Oaths OATH OF THE APEX All paladins are sworn to a cause or quest, seeking to attain excellence in such service, but your truest devotion is to perfection itself. Whether in single combat, battlefield leadership, high society, or personal devotion, you strive to be the champion of every arena in which you find yourself. Every challenge is a potential opportunity to prove your quality, and every foe is an agent of your future greatness. All this is not to say you are self-centered or less loyal to higher ideals. Rather, you demand more of yourself than others, and do not settle for less than your personal best. The achievements of others never diminish you. Rather, you covet the company of heroes whose mighty deeds compete with your own, the better to study and emulate their successes and, eventually, to surpass them. Your armor, weapons, and other equipment must be kept in flawless condition, cleaned and polished to the highest possible standard. Many paladins of this oath favor expensive materials or plating of gold or silver, which shine for all to see when given proper attention. IN THE DOMAINS OF DREAD Though ego does not drive these knights, their quest for excellence still often leads them to great hubris. Even more so than other paladins, they find themselves tempted and tested by the Dark Powers. TENETS OF THE APEX Regardless of their individual oaths to faith, family, or feudal lord, paladins of the Oath of the Apex share these tenets. The Greatest Challenge. You must test yourself against the greatest knights, warriors, and monsters in the land. The Highest Honor. Your honor is your life. Without it, you are nothing. The Strongest Discipline. Training is constant, sloppiness and waste are blasphemy, and you must hone yourself to an even keener edge than your blade. The Most Valiant Company. The greatest heroes in history were all part of a pantheon of champions. Seek comrades who challenge you. OATH SPELLS You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed. OATH OF THE APEX SPELLS Paladin Level Spells 3rd compelled duel,, heroism 5th align weapon*, enhance ability 9th beacon of hope, haste 11th aura of purity, freedom of movement 17th communion, geas

85 CHANNEL DIVINITY When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options. Perfected Defense. As an action, you can use your Channel Divinity to focus all your instincts and defensive prowess on one opponent of your choice. For 1 minute, you add your Charisma modifier to your AC against the chosen target’s attack rolls. If the target drops to 0 hit points before this effect ends, you can use a bonus action on a subsequent turn of yours to choose a new target. You can end this effect on your turn as part of any other action. This effect ends early if you end your turn without a weapon or shield in hand, or if you fall unconscious. Rallying Command. As an action, you can use your Channel Divinity to declare a path to victory based on defeating a key opponent. Choose one hostile creature, then choose up to 5 allies that can see or hear you within 30 feet of you. Each one these allies that inflicts damage on the chosen hostile creature during its next turn gains temporary hit points equal to your paladin level at the end of that turn. AURA OF GLORY Starting at 7th level, at the start of each of your turns, you can use a bonus action to force one creature within 10 feet of you that can see or hear you to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature is marked by you for 1 minute. This effect ends early if you are incapacitated or you die, if someone else marks the creature, if you mark another creature, or if the creature is more than 10 feet away from you at any time. While a creature is marked by you, it is charmed by you, finding you enthralling even if it despises you, and it has disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks made to perceive any creature other than you. While a creature marked by you is within 5 feet of you, it has disadvantage on any attack roll that doesn't target you, and if it hits with such an attack, it provokes an opportunity attack from you. At 18th level, the range of this aura increases from 10 feet to 30 feet, though a creature you mark still only suffers disadvantage on attack rolls that do not target you while it is within 5 feet of you. PAGEANT OF HISTORY Beginning at 15th level, you can draw upon the prowess of masters of the blade who came before you. Once on each of your turns, when you miss with a melee weapon attack, you can make another melee weapon attack as part of the same action. If this extra melee attack hits, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1). In addition, whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to great warriors or heroes of the past, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus. FLOWER OF KNIGHTHOOD Starting at 20th level, you can use your action to enter a state of complete focus in battle. For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits: Your reach with melee weapon attacks increases by 5 feet. Your walking speed increases by 15 feet. When you make a Strength, Dexterity, or Wisdom check, or an attack roll with a melee weapon, you gain a bonus on the roll equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1). No attack roll has advantage against you while you aren’t incapacitated. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

86 OATH OF BLOOD You are a monster, fated and infected by a vile curse that transformed you into a creature of nightmare. By some means—whether by the lifedraining attack of an elder vampire, an ancient doom laid upon your family, the foul magic of a hateful enemy, or even by seeking immortal power yourself through ancient rites and alchemical formulas—the curse of vampirism fell upon you. Thus far, however, you have resisted the curse, using your divinely empowered oath as a paladin. Though your dark nature grows stronger, you have sworn to use it in the service of your greater cause. Having already experienced death, you are a lethal creature of the night. Normal emotions have become alien to you. Only cold, gnawing hunger remains. As your power increases, so does the temptation. TENETS OF BLOOD Restraint. Controlling the monstrous urges of your vampiric nature is an eternal struggle. Moderation. If you deny your monstrous bloodthirst entirely, it will eventually erupt and consume you. You seek the wisdom to indulge that hunger occasionally, in small ways, enough to keep it from overwhelming your reason. Zeal. The only thing that allows you to master the hunger of a vampire is your devotion to your cause, and so you put that cause first, above all things, including your own survival. Forbearance. The urge to consume mortal lifeblood is strong, but perhaps never so strong as when inflamed by passion—you shun all personal intimacy and romantic passion, knowing the danger you pose to anyone you let yourself become close to. Loyalty. Those who accept you for what you are take a grave chance, and transcend their natural instincts of fear and revulsion to maintain your company. They are a treasure greater than gold, and must be protected accordingly. OATH SPELLS You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed. OATH OF BLOOD SPELLS Paladin Level Spells 3rd charm person, expeditious retreat 5th detect thoughts, spider climb 9th gaseous form, hold person 11th dominate beast, locate creature 17th dominate person, hold monster BLOODTHIRSTY UNDEAD Once you choose this sacred oath at 3rd level, in addition to the normal benefits a paladin gains from a sacred oath, your growing curse changes your nature. You become Undead, in addition to your normal creature type, and gain the following weaknesses: When you finish a long rest, instead of regaining Hit Dice, you lose one Hit Die. You are vulnerable to radiant damage. Once you take radiant damage, you cannot regain hit points or Hit Dice until after the end of your next turn. You gain sunlight sensitivity, which imposes disadvantage on attack rolls and on Perception checks that rely on sight whenever you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.

87 If a piercing weapon made of wood is driven into your heart while you are unconscious or otherwise incapacitated, you are paralyzed until the stake is removed. However, your undead nature also grants many benefits, as follows: You have resistance to necrotic damage. You increase your walking speed by 5 feet. You gain darkvision out to 60 feet, If you already have darkvision, you increase its range by 60 feet. You don’t need to eat, drink, or breathe. You no longer age, and cannot be aged magically. At the start of each of your turns, if you have at least 1 hit point and you are not in sunlight or running water, you can spend Hit Dice to heal, as if you had just finished a short rest. The maximum number of Hit Dice you can spend each turn with this feature is equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1). CHANNEL DIVINITY When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options. Using your Bloodthirst Unleashed option does not require a use of your Channel Divinity if you have no Hit Dice remaining. However, when you start your turn with no Hit Dice remaining, you must immediately use that option, whether you wish to or not. Beast Unleashed. At the start of your turn, you can use your Channel Divinity to allow your full vampiric nature to come to the fore. While you are in this form, you gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons, and your fanged bite becomes a natural weapon, which counts as a simple melee weapon with which you are proficient. You add your Constitution modifier to the attack and damage rolls when you attack with your bite. Your bite deals 1d4 piercing or necrotic damage (your choice) on a hit. Once per turn while in this form, when you use your bite and hit a creature that isn’t a Construct or an Undead, you can regain one Hit Die. Once you regain a Hit Die from a creature in this way, you cannot use this feature to regain a Hit Die from the same creature for 1 hour. However, while in this form, you also gain additional weaknesses. Whenever you willingly enter a residence without an invitation from one of the occupants, or start your turn in sunlight or running water, you take radiant damage equal to your paladin level (this damage is doubled by your vulnerability as normal). In addition, when a living creature (not a Construct or Undead) within 15 feet of you is reduced to less than half its hit point maximum while you are in this form, you must roll a Wisdom saving throw. The DC equals 10 + your maximum number of Hit Dice, but you get a +5 bonus on the roll if you currently have at least half your Hit Dice remaining. If you succeed, you are immune to this effect for 1 minute. On a failure, on your next action you must move as fast as you can towards the fallen creature or another creature within 15 feet of you. At the end of that movement, you must use your bite attack against a creature within reach. You remain in this form until you choose to end it as a bonus action. However, you cannot end it if it has been less than one minute since you entered this form, or if you haven’t regained a Hit Die within the past minute. Protean Shape. If you aren't in sunlight or running water, you can use your Channel Divinity as a bonus action to polymorph into a bat, rat, or wolf. You can stay in this beast shape for a number of hours equal to half your paladin level (rounded down). You then revert to your normal form unless you expend another use of your Channel Divinity. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using a bonus action on your turn. You automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die. While you are transformed, you retain your alignment, personality, hit points, Hit Dice,

88 proficiency bonus, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores; your other game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the beast. You retain all benefits of your class features (including this sacred oath), but cannot cast spells (though you can continue concentrating on spells you already cast). You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature. You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, or merges into your new form. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form. You gain more options with this use of Channel Divinity as you gain paladin levels. At 4th level, you can become a giant bat, giant rat, swarm of bats, swarm of rats, or swarm of ravens. At 5th level, you can become a dire wolf. At 6th level, your attacks in beast form count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical attacks and damage. When you reach 9th level, you can use this Channel Divinity option to cast gaseous form, without using a spell slot or components, instead of turning into a beast. AURA OF DECAY Starting at 7th level, once per turn, when you or an ally within 10 feet of you damages a creature with a melee attack, if that creature is also within 10 feet of you, you can deal additional necrotic damage to that creature equal to your proficiency bonus. At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet. In addition, when you deal necrotic damage to a living creature within 5 feet of you that is grappled by you, incapacitated, restrained, or willing to be bitten by you, you can use your reaction to drain some of that creature’s blood. When you do so, if the creature is not a Construct or Undead, you reduce the target’s hit point maximum by an amount equal to your proficiency bonus. When you successfully reduce a creature’s hit point maximum in this way, you regain a Hit Die. NECROTIC MARAUDER Beginning at 15th level, when you use your Divine Smite, you can choose to deal necrotic damage instead of radiant damage. In addition, when you use your action make a melee attack against a creature during your turn, you can use a bonus action to immediately make an unarmed strike against the same creature. If you currently have a bite attack, you can make a bite attack against that creature, instead of an unarmed strike. MASTER VAMPIRE At 20th level, you don’t need to expend a use of your Channel Divinity to use your Beast Unleashed option. In addition, while your Beast Unleashed option is active, you gain a flying speed of 30 feet, you are immune to necrotic damage, and you can use a bonus action to attempt to grapple a target.

89 OATH OF THE BORDERLANDS Paladins of this oath have sworn to defend those living on the most vulnerable edges of civilization. Whether fighting on the frigid frontier of the Frozenfar or clearing caves of chaos near contested keeps, they consider themselves responsible for the safety of folks who live under constant threat. TENETS OF THE BORDERLANDS For a United Cause. Frontier knights are called upon to set aside differences of politics and religion to ally with other foes of evil. In Search of Compromise. Unlike some paladins, members of your order seek peace with anyone. To defend a human castle beset by separate groups of orcs, goblins, and kobolds, you would eagerly forge agreements between all four sides—or unite three against one—to prevent bloodshed. To the Edge of the World. The comforts of great cities and secure estates are not for you. Your home will always be in contested, ill-defended lands, among the common folk trying to make lives there. With No Glory but Salvation. You don’t measure greatness in battlefield triumphs or tales of your honor, but by how many families and peaceful communities can thrive thanks to your efforts. OATH SPELLS You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed. OATH OF THE BORDERLANDS SPELLS PALADIN LEVEL SPELLS 3rd divine sanction*, heroism 5th align weapon*, calm emotions 9th beacon of hope, spirit guardians 11th aura of purity, freedom of movement 17th hold monster, mass cure wounds CHANNEL DIVINITY When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options. Divine Negotiation. As a bonus action, you can use your Channel Divinity to call on the lifeblood knowledge of legendary diplomats who made peace between even the fiercest of enemies. For 1 hour, you gain special benefits whenever you make a Charisma (Persuasion) check to influence a creature that is hostile towards another creature that is currently within 30 feet of it, or that has a chaotic or evil alignment. Whenever you make such a check, you are considered proficient in the Persuasion skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check instead of your normal proficiency

90 bonus, and you can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10. Tenacious Smiting. At the start of your turn, you can use your Channel Divinity to enter a tireless fighting stance that allows you to better capitalize on your most devastating attacks. For 1 minute, whenever you take the Attack action, if you deal your Divine Smite damage during that action, you can make a single melee weapon attack as a bonus action. If the target of this bonus action attack is below its hit point maximum, it takes additional radiant damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1) on a hit. AURA OF METTLE At 7th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you gain a +1 bonus to Armor Class and advantage on saving throws against becoming exhausted. At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet. RADIANT DEFENDER Beginning at 15th level, when you deal radiant damage to one or more creatures during your turn, you can immediately use a bonus action to choose one target of that damage. The target has disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes before the end of its next turn, and you cast a divine sanction* spell targeting that creature as part of the same bonus action. When you cast divine sanction* in this way, it does not use a spell slot. PHALANX OF ONE At 20th level, as an action, you can accelerate your reflexes, speed, and stamina beyond mortal limitations. For 1 minute, whenever you use your reaction, you regain your reaction the next time any creature starts its turn, rather than having to wait until the start of your next turn. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest. OATH OF DEFIANCE The Oath of Defiance binds a paladin to resist tyranny and oppression with all their might. Sometimes called knights of the shadows, liberators, or cloaked knights, these paladins are sworn to undermine unjust rulers. They preserve common folk from corrupt or tyrannical authority, working to overthrow such regimes however they can. There are quite a few adherents of this oath who serve gods of chaos and good, and express their deity’s teaching as organizes resistance. Because they must often work in secret, these paladins almost always wear cloaks or similar garments. The traditional symbols of freedom and justice—including the torch of liberty, the scales of justice, an eagle or other bird in flight, the gavel of a just judge or magistrate, blind justice—are also important signs they use to recognize their allies, and such heraldry is often worked into their arms or armor. TENETS OF DEFIANCE Clarity. The better future you fight for is more important than the difficulties of the present, and though you may not live to see it, keeping that vision at the forefront of your mind will sustain you in spite of dungeon, fire, and sword. They can kill you, but no one can kill your vision. Conviction. Do not entertain doubts about your cause, but devote yourself to freedom and justice for those around you. Never surrender to an unjust authority. Discretion. The lives of those who fight alongside you are in your hands, and their silence preserves your life as well, earning your devotion and loyalty. You must tender their secrets as dearly as your own, and sacrifice when necessary to help your allies fight on. Tradecraft. Your trade is as practical and specific as that of any artisan or guildmaster, but your vocations are spying and armed resistance. Never deviate from the procedures and protocols that keep you and your co-

91 conspirators alive. Equivocation. Never speak words you know to be lies in your heart, but when your revelation could cause evil to occur, answer the real question behind your enemies’ interrogations. (See the Loyal Equivocation sidebar, at the end of this archetype description, for details). OATH SPELLS You gain oath spells at the paladin level listed. OATH OF DEFIANCE SPELLS PALADIN LEVEL SPELLS 3rd disguise self, illusory script 5th calm emotions, invisibility 9th beacon of hope, nondetection 13th freedom of movement, hallucinatory terrain 17th modify memory, hold monster CHANNEL DIVINITY When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options: Hidden Purpose. Whenever a creature attempts to discern information about you, your plans, your location, or your thoughts (including effects that would read your thoughts or compel you to speak the truth), you can use your Channel Divinity as a reaction to pray silently for protection. For 1 minute, any creature that attempts to discern information of one of the triggering types must first make a Wisdom saving throw against your paladin spell DC. On a failed save, the creature takes psychic damage equal to your half your paladin level, and it must choose to either take some other action—one that would not attempt to discern such information—or waste the action second-guessing itself. An affected creature does not realize you are the source of this effect. Prayer of Liberation. You can use your Channel Divinity as an action, presenting your to liberate those around you from fear, hatred, and other effects that would enslave or entrap them. As an action, you present your holy symbol, and for 1 minute, each creature of your choice within 30 feet is immune to being charmed or frightened, and they gain advantage on saving throws against effects that would reduce their speed or cause them to be restrained or paralyzed. If a creature you target with this effect is already charmed or frightened, any effect causing them to be so is suppressed for the duration. When the duration ends, any suppressed effect resumes, provided that its duration has not expired in the meantime. AURA OF ESCAPE At 7th level, creatures of your choice within 10 feet of you have advantage on saving throws and ability checks to avoid being grappled, restrained, or charmed, and they gain a +5 bonus to their armor class against opportunity attacks. At 18th level, the range of this effect increases to 30 feet. JUSTICE UNFETTERED Beginning at 15th level, you are always under the effects of a freedom of movement spell. UNBOUND When you reach 20th level, your prayers for liberation are answered with the power to defy all tyranny and restraint. Using your action, you gain the following abilities for one minute: You gain all the benefits of the mind blank spell. Any creature within range of your weapon that makes an opportunity attack against you or an ally within 30 feet of you provokes an opportunity attack from you. You have advantage on all saving throws against divination and enchantment spells. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

92 LOYAL EQUIVOCATION As part of the protocols by which they protect themselves and their comrades, paladins of the Oath of Defiance practice a philosophy that they refer to as "Loyal Equivocation.” This system of belief requires them to speak only truth. However, it also assumes that when they are asked a question that could affect someone’s safety, there is a fundamentally different question behind the words being posed to them. They respond to what the person is truly asking, rather than what the mere words of their question seem to say. An example of this might be if a loyal subject of a lord whose domain had been invaded by enemy soldiers were hiding that lord in her home, and those enemy soldiers came to her door, asking "Is your lord here?" Under the philosophy of Loyal Equivocation, the sinister purpose of the soldiers makes their deceptively simple question a mask for what they really want to know. What they’re truly asking when they say "Is your lord here?" is "May we murder your houseguest?" Thus, it is both ethical and honest for the loyal subject to answer, "No." OATH OF INQUISITION You believe magic is a sacred force, and those who use it for fell purposes must be eliminated. At times, such spellcasters may be offered the chance to renounce their ways; those who refuse cannot be suffered to live. Paladins of this oath are scholars as well as warriors, schooled in the ways of the clever foes they pursue and how to deduce the truth from clues they encounter. Known as inquisitors or ardent knights, they tend to be reflective and analytical by nature, with a focused intensity that makes some people uncomfortable. They are known for a deep drive to dispel deceit and pursue those who abuse their power, but this passion tends to be a quiet one, expressed more in deeds than words. In certain places, where some forms of magic are entirely banned by law, some inquisitors may become feared enforcers of tyrannical intolerance. However, most are more concerned with protecting the innocent. Symbols such as open books, lit candles, flaming braziers, and magnifying glasses often adorn inquisitors’ clothes and armor, reflecting their commitment to deep study and bringing the truth to light— except when such truths would harm the innocent. TENETS OF INQUISITION Ages of battle against malignant forces forged the tenets of the Oath of Inquisition. They emphasize the protection of the weak against deadly, unseen magical threats. Those who follow these sacred edicts must do so with an unfailing rigor, for any weakness in these paladins is a weakness in the armor that protects the world. Stewardship. You stand between the powerless and those who misuse power. Magic is a part of the world, but its abuse can create tragedies on a massive scale. You root out hidden threats and eldritch

93 recklessness before they escalate into disaster. Vigilance. Your business isn’t the threats other folks can see coming. Those are for the city watch or local soldiers. You’re responsible for the dangers only you can discern. Never let your guard down; the price would likely be paid in corpses. Education. Most of your foes gain their powers from disciplined study or unholy revelations. Your thorough scholarship evens the odds. The details of history, arcane practice, theology, and human nature are all weapons in your arsenal. These weapons are gained through dedicated study, from books, and constant research. Relentlessness. If a foe escapes you, it shouldn’t be because you didn’t do your due diligence. Be obsessive in pursuit, patient in deduction, implacable in battle, and defiant in the face of dark powers. OATH SPELLS You gain oath spells at the paladin level listed. CHANNEL DIVINITY When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following Channel Divinity options: Ardent Vow. You can concentrate all your divinely-empowered prophetic gifts on a single target. As a bonus action, you can use your Channel Divinity to choose a creature you can see within 30 feet of you and gain the following benefits against it: You have advantage on Intelligence and Wisdom checks to discern information about the target, and on Charisma checks to influence it. The target cannot benefit from being invisible. While the target is within 5 feet of you, it has disadvantage on any attack roll that doesn't include you, and it provokes an opportunity attack from you whenever it forces a creature other than you to make a saving throw. These benefits last until the next time you finish a short or long rest. Dispelling Gaze. You can use your Channel Divinity as an action to cast remove curse. If you are 5th level or higher, you can choose to use this feature to cast dispel magic instead. You do not use a spell slot when you cast a spell in this way. The effective spell slot level of a spell you cast with this use of your Channel Divinity feature is equal to half your paladin level (rounded down, to a maximum of 9th). EMPOWERED INVESTIGATOR At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Perception skill. If you are already proficient with Perception, you may choose to become proficient with one of the following skills instead: Arcana, History, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Religion, or Survival. Whenever you fail an Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Insight) check, you can expend a spell slot to reroll that check with advantage, gaining a bonus on that check equal to the spell slot expended. You must use the second roll. When determining your passive Perception score, you add double your proficiency bonus instead of your normal proficiency bonus. AURA OF THE SENTINEL At 7th level, you emit an aura of alertness while you aren’t incapacitated. When you and any creatures of your choice within 10 feet of you OATH OF INQUISITION SPELLS Paladin Level Spells 3rd hunter’s mark, protection from evil and good 5th detect thoughts, mind spike XGtE 9th beacon of hope, counterspell 13th divination, Mordenkainen’s faithful hound 17th greater restoration, hallow

94 roll initiative, you all gain a bonus to initiative equal to your proficiency bonus. At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet. READ SECRETS At 7th level, when you spend at least 1 minute interacting with or observing a creature outside of combat, or when you make it the target of your Ardent Vow, you deduce one of the following pieces of information about the target: a recent location it has visited, an object it has handled, a person it has spoken with, or one of its personality traits (if any). The DM also tells you if the creature is your equal, superior, or inferior in regard to two of the following characteristics of your choice: An ability score of your choice Armor Class Current hit points. Total class levels (if any) Levels in a particular class (if any) RELIABLE OBSERVER At 15th level, whenever you make an Intelligence check or Wisdom check that lets you add your proficiency bonus, or an attack roll against a creature that is the target of your Ardent Vow or the subject of a spell on which you are maintaining concentration, you can treat a d20 roll of 4 or lower as a 5. PERFECTED MIND At 20th level, you can cast the foresight spell, targeting yourself. You can use this feature to cast this spell once, as a paladin spell, regaining the ability to do so whenever you finish a long rest. In addition, you can accurately recall anything you have seen or heard within the past month. If you also gain the same ability from another source, you can accurately recall anything you have seen or heard within the past year. OATH OF RAVENKIND Before Barovia was benighted by the fall of the devil Strahd, it was home to an order of virtuous champions—the knights of the Raven. Advised by righteous clerics like archpriest Ciril Romulich and united behind holy icons of Ravenkind, they swore to give their lives to relentless battle against the rising darkness prophets had foreseen. Now, the knights are all but extinct. They prospered in the years before darkness descended on Barovia, but afterwards their fierce opposition to the undead drew them into more battles than could ever be won. Only a handful of knights linger in the land, some as ghosts, others as hidden agents in various domains, working day and night to defeat the darklords. TENETS OF RAVENKIND Battle without End. To swear the oath of Ravenkind is to commit your body and soul to endless struggle t against evil. There may one day be a final victory, but it is unlikely you will live to see it. Mentorship. Only a knight can make another knight. Be on the lookout for new candidates to train and initiate as Knights of the Raven, lest your dwindling order die out forever. Unity. Knights of the Raven are called upon to set aside differences of politics and religion to ally with other foes of evil. The Vigil. For your initiation into this order, you are called upon to stay up all night praying in a sacred chapel or church, before an icon or symbol of true holiness. When you initiate a new Knight of the Raven, you must do the same, standing watch with the recruit. Likely, the initiation is but the first of many sleepless nights in your war against the darkness in the land.

95 OATH SPELLS You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed. OATH OF RAVENKIND SPELLS Paladin Level Spells 3rd guiding bolt, speak with animals 5th lesser restoration, moonbeam 9th aegis of assault*, daylight 11th dominate beast, guardian of faith 17th flame strike, scrying CHANNEL DIVINITY When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options. Radiance of the Dawn. You can use your Channel Divinity to harness sunlight, banishing darkness and dealing radiant damage to your foes. As an action, you present your holy symbol, and any magical darkness within 30 feet of you is dispelled. Additionally, each hostile creature within 30 feet of you must make a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes radiant damage equal to 2d10 + your paladin level on a failed saving throw, and half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that has total cover from you is not affected. Summon Raven Harrier. You can expend one use of your Channel Divinity to cast the find familiar spell as a paladin spell without using a spell slot. When you cast the spell in this way, instead of choosing one of the normal familiar forms, your familiar is a raven harrier as described at the end of this sacred oath. Unlike other familiars, it can attack, but only as listed in its statblock. AURA OF LIVING LIGHT Creatures within 10 feet of you have resistance to necrotic damage and advantage on death saving throws. At the end of each of your turns, you can choose one creature within this aura and empower it with magical radiance. To do so, you must spend 10 points from the pool of healing granted by your Lay Hands feature. When you do so, that creature gains 10 temporary hit points, and until the end of its RAVEN HARRIER Tiny celestial, same alignment as yours Armor Class 14 Hit Points equal the raven harrier’s Constitution modifier + your Charisma modifier + five times your level in this class Speed 10 ft., fly 50 ft. STR DEX CON STR DEX CON 6 (-2) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 8 (-1) 14 (+2) 6 (−2) Saving Throws Dex +4, Wis +4 Skills Perception +4, Stealth +4 Damage Resistances Necrotic, poison Damage Immunities Radiant Condition Immunities Charmed, frightened Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 Languages Celestial, Common, and any languages you know, but can’t speak Celestial Bond. The following numbers increase by 1 when your proficiency bonus increases by 1: the raven harrier’s skill and saving throw bonuses (above), the bonuses to hit and damage of its talons attack, and the number of hit points restored by its Mystical Recovery action (below). Flyby. The raven harrier doesn't provoke opportunity attacks when it flies out of an enemy's reach. Harrier. When the raven hits a creature with a melee attack, it can force that target to make a saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure, it can't take reactions until the end of your next turn, and the next attack roll you make against this target before the end of your next turn has advantage. Mimicry. The raven can mimic simple sounds it has heard, such as a person whispering, a baby crying, or an animal chittering. A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) check. ACTIONS (REQUIRES YOUR BONUS ACTION) Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target you can see. Hit: 1d4 piercing damage + 1d4 radiant damage. Mystical Recovery (3/Day). The raven harrier either restores 2d6 + 2 hit points to itself or to one creature within 5 feet of it that has 0 hit points.

96 next turn, when that creature uses a spell slot of 1st level or higher to cast a spell, it can change the spell’s casting time to 1 bonus action for that casting, provided the spell’s casting time is normally 1 action. At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet. RADIANT MARK At 15th level, if you deal radiant damage to one or more creatures on your turn, at the end of your turn you can choose one of those creatures and mark it until the end of your next turn. While it is within 5 feet of you, a creature marked by you has disadvantage on any attack roll that doesn’t target you. When a creature marked by you makes an opportunity attack, it takes radiant damage equal to your proficiency bonus. HOLY NIMBUS At 20th level, as an action, you can emanate an aura of sunlight. For 1 minute, bright light shines from you in a 30-foot radius, and dim light shines 30 feet beyond that. Whenever an enemy creature starts its turn in the bright light, the creature takes 10 radiant damage. In addition, for the duration, you have advantage on saving throws against spells cast by fiends or undead. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest. IN THE DOMAINS OF DREAD As champions against evil and the undead, the Knights of the Raven have a clear role in Ravenloft-- especially in Barovia, their traditional homeland. In most domains, a darklord will have countless spies and agents, likely jockeying for power amongst themselves even as they serve their dread monster. These paladins will fight tirelesly against such minions, just as they will to destroy a darklord or any other oppressive ruler. Yet even if they manage to destroy a powerful being like Strahd, their work is not yet done. After all, a darklord's lieutenants likely remain. Long years of cruel domination can scar both the land and its people, and Knights of the Raven will be invested in helping a domain recover and rebuild.

97 PALADIN FIGHTING STYLE OPTIONS You can select the following additional options for the Fighting Style feature a paladin gains at 2nd level. DAISHO When you wield a versatile weapon in one hand and a light weapon in your other hand, the versatile weapon gains the light and finesse weapon properties. DIVINE MARK When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can use a bonus action to mark the creature until the end of your next turn. This effect ends early if you are incapacitated or you die, or if someone else marks the creature. While it is within 5 feet of you, a creature marked by you has disadvantage on any attack roll that doesn’t target you. When a creature makes one or more attacks that suffer disadvantage from your mark during its turn, at the end of that turn it takes radiant damage equal to your Charisma modifier. MOUNTED While you are mounted, unmounted creatures you hit with weapon attacks can’t make opportunity attacks against you or your mount for the rest of the turn if they are smaller than your mount, and you can re-roll any weapon damage die that rolls a 1. You must use the new roll. STEADY LEADER When the DM determines that you fail a Strength or Charisma check, as a reaction you can expend a spell slot to immediately add a bonus to the failed check, possibly causing it to succeed. This bonus equals 5 + the level of the spell slot.

98 THE RANGER Like druids, rangers strive to maintain an uneasy balance between nature and civilization. Druids must often protect nature from the intrusions of mankind, while rangers usually guard civilized peoples from nature's savagery. Rangers in settled lands are frequently employed as game wardens for noble estates. In Sithicus, elven rangers patrol the deep forests astride monstrous stag beetles, hunting evil creatures and discouraging foreign visitors. In untamed lands like Vorostokov, they may hunt game to provide for their clans or scout out new territory. Most settled folk see rangers as outsiders, but their skills are generally respected. Some patrol the wilds to protect or provide for their homelands. Others—particularly the lycanthrope rangers who infest many domains— prey on the innocent, becoming more dangerous than any beast. NEW RANGER CONCLAVES CORSAIR Corsairs are rangers born not to the forest or mountains, but to the sea. You are the daring merchant-princess, the cunning freebooter, or the bold explorer. As a traveler between the great seaports, with no single home, you exist on the borders of society. When your luck or patience runs out in one port, you move on, seeking out new adventures. Your fighting style reflects the common traits of sailors everywhere, prizing freedom, mobility, and swift reciprocity. The lanes you travel are choked with pirates (who may be your enemies or rivals, depending on your own activities), mysterious monsters, and other strangeness. And lately, these threats seem to be growing darker. Sailors will tell their tales, of course, but you've heard too many rumors of signs and omens repeated in different ports to dismiss these dire predictions out of hand. Upon retiring, corsairs often become simple merchants, following common routes and carrying traditional cargos. Yet even in the hearts of these old buccaneers a fire burns—a passion that may lead them to accept one "last" great adventure. Your fighting style reflects the common traits of such sailors everywhere, prizing freedom, mobility, and swift vengeance. BONUS PROFICIENCIES At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in navigator’s tools and vehicles (water). You

99 gain expertise with both proficiencies, which means your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with them. (If your campaign takes places in a setting that features air vehicles, you can choose to gain proficiency in vehicles (air) instead of vehicles (water) for this feature.) CORSAIR FIGHTING STYLE When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you receive a second fighting style, which can only chosen from the following special options: Harrying, Mobility, Siege Warfare, or TwoWeapon Fighting. You can never take the same Fighting Style option more than once. HARRYING When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike or a melee attack using a weapon that doesn't have the two-handed or heavy property, the creature's speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of its next turn. MOBILITY As long as you are not wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield, you have a climbing speed equal to your normal speed, and you gain a +1 bonus to AC. SIEGE WARFARE When you have cover against an attack, if it still hits, you have resistance against that attack's damage. TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack. VENDETTA STRIKE At 3rd level, when you miss with a weapon attack against a creature that has attacked you within the last minute or that is your favored enemy, you can re-roll that attack roll. You must use the result of the second roll. You can use this feature once, regaining the ability to do so when you roll initiative. SLIPPERY OPPONENT At 7th level, when you hit an opponent with a weapon attack during your turn, that opponent’s attack rolls against you are made at disadvantage until the end of your turn. In addition, whenever you fail a saving throw to avoid becoming frightened or restrained, or a Strength (Athletics) check related to climbing or swimming, you can use your reaction to roll that saving throw or ability check again. You must use the new roll. OVERWHELMING RECIPROCITY Starting at 11th level, once per turn, when you attack a creature that has attacked you within the last minute or is your favored enemy, if that attack hits, you can choose to do either one of the following: Inflict an additional 1d12 damage on that creature. Make a weapon attack against any number of other creatures within 5 feet of that creature, with a separate attack roll for each target. RIDING THE CURRENTS At 15th level, you gain a special defensive ability. Choose one of the following features: Evasion. You can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a red dragon's fiery breath or a lightning bolt spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail. Outmaneuver. When you make an opportunity attack, after the attack resolves, you can move 10 feet as part of the same reaction. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks. Retaliation. When you take damage from a creature that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature.