Arcanist

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Overview & Creation

Level	Prof. Bonus	Features	Arcane Reservoir	Cantrips	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st	+2	Spellcasting, Arcanist Bond	-	4	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
2nd	+2	Font of Magic	2	4	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
3rd	+2	Arcanist Exploits	3	4	4	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	4	5	4	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
5th	+3	-	5	5	4	3	2	-	-	-	-	-	-
6th	+3	Arcanist Bond Feature	6	5	4	3	3	-	-	-	-	-	-
7th	+3	-	7	5	4	3	3	1	-	-	-	-	-
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	8	5	4	3	3	2	-	-	-	-	-
9th	+4	-	9	5	4	3	3	3	1	-	-	-	-
10th	+4	Arcanist Bond Feature	10	6	4	3	3	3	2	-	-	-	-
11th	+4	-	11	6	4	3	3	3	2	1	-	-	-
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	12	6	4	3	3	3	2	1	-	-	-
13th	+5	-	13	6	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	-	-
14th	+5	Arcanist Bond Feature	14	6	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	-	-
15th	+5	-	15	6	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	1	-
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	16	6	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	1	-
17th	+6	-	17	6	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	1	1
18th	+6	Consume Spells	18	6	4	3	3	3	3	1	1	1	1
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	19	6	4	3	3	3	3	2	1	1	1
20th	+6	Arcane Supremacy	20	6	4	3	3	3	3	2	2	1	1

 

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Class Features

Arcanist Bond

Choose an arcanist bond, which describes the source of your magical power, from the list of available bonds. Your choice grants you features when you choose it at 1st level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.

• Blade Adept
• Elemental Master
• School Savant
• Unlettered

Font of Magic

At 2nd level, you tap into a deep wellspring of magic within yourself. This wellspring is represented by your Arcane Reservoir, which allows you to create a variety of magical effects.  

Arcane Reservoir

You have 2 Arcane Reservoir points, and you gain one additional point every time you level up, to a maximum of 20 at level 20. You can never have more Arcane Reservoir points than shown on the table for your level. You regain all spent Arcane Reservoir when you finish a long rest.  

FLEXIBLE CASTING

You can use your Arcane Reservoir to gain additional spell slots, or sacrifice spell slots to gain additional Arcane Reservoir points. You learn other ways to use your Arcane Reservoir as you reach higher levels.  

CREATING SPELL SLOTS

You can transform unexpended Arcane Reservoir points into one spell slot as a bonus action on your turn. The created spell slots vanish at the end of a long rest. The Creating Spell Slots table shows the cost of creating a spell slot of a given level. You can create spell slots no higher in level than 5th.

Spell Slot Level	Arcane Reservoir Cost
1st	2
2nd	3
3rd	5
4th	6
5th	7

CONVERTING A SPELL SLOT INTO Arcane Reservoir POINTS

As a bonus action on your turn, you can expend one spell slot and gain a number of Arcane Reservoir points equal to the slot's level.  

Arcane Exploits

At 3rd level, you gain the ability to twist your spells to suit your needs. You gain two of the following Arcane Exploit options of your choice. You gain another one at 5th, 8th, 11th 14th, and 17th level.   You can use only one Arcane Exploit option on a spell when you cast it unless otherwise noted.  

Arcane Barrier

As a bonus action, you can spend 2 points from your Arcane Reservoir to cast Armor of Agathys.  

Arcane Weapon

As an action, you can spend 1 point from your Arcane Reservoir to enhance a weapon you touch. The weapon is treated as magical for overcoming damage resistances, at 3rd level the weapon does an extra +2 damage. This effect lasts for 1d4 rounds.  

Damage Versatility

When you cast a spell that deals a type of damage from the following list, you can spend 1 point from your Arcane Reservoir to change that damage type to one of the other listed types: acid, bludgeoning, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, piercing, poison, radiant, slashing, thunder.  

Energy Shield

When you or one of your allies take damage from an attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage equal to three times the number of points from your Arcane Reservoir you spend.  

Force Strike

You can use 3 points from your Arcane Reservoir to cast magic missile as a 1st level spell, casting it this way will increase the damage from d4s to d6s.  

Metamagic knowledge

When you take this exploit you learn one of the sorcerer's metamagic features, and you can use it by spending points from your Arcane Reservoir as if they were sorcery points. (you can't take this exploit more than once).  

Natural Charm

You can spend 1 point from your Arcane Reservoir to cast Charm Person, casting it this way will not alert the charmed creature that you have cast this spell on them when the spell ends.    

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.  

Proficiency Versatility

Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement feature from your class, you can also replace one of your skill proficiencies with a skill proficiency offered by your class at 1st level (the proficiency you replace needn't be from the class).   This change represents one of your skills atrophying as you focus on a different skill.  

Consume Spells

At 18th level, on your turn, you can sacrifice your movement speed to cast a spell or a cantrip as a bonus action, the spell can't be concentration. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of one). You regain all uses after a short or long rest.  

Arcane Supremacy

At 20th level when you have no more points in your Arcane Reservoir, you regain all points when you roll initiative.

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Starting Equipment

You may choose (a) or (b):

• (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
• (a) a component pouch or (b) an arcane focus
• (a) a Dungeoneer's pack or (b) a Scholors's pack

Alternatively, you can ignore the equipment from your class and background, and start with 4d4 x 10 gp.

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Spellcasting

Cantrips

You know four cantrips of your choice from the arcanist spell list. You learn additional arcanist cantrips of your choice at higher levels, learning a 5th cantrip at 4th level and a 6th at 10th level.  

Spell Slots

The Arcanist table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your arcanist spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.  

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

You know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the arcanist spell list. You learn an additional arcanist spell of your choice at each level except. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 3rd level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.   Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the arcanist spells you know and replace it with another spell from the arcanist spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.  

Spellcasting Ability

  Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your arcanist spells. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for an arcanist spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.   Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier   Spell Attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier  

Spellcasting Focus

You can use an arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for your arcanist spells.  

Spell Versatility

Whenever you finish a long rest, you can replace one spell you learned from this Spellcasting feature with another spell from the arcanist spell list. The new spell must be the same level as the spell you replace.

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Subclass Options

Blade Adept

 

Bond to the Blade

At 1st level when you chose this archetype you bond yourself to a weapon, this weapon must have the versatile, finesse, or light property and must do piercing or slashing damage. You can summon or dismiss your weapon as a bonus action on your turn and this weapon can't be taken off your person. As well, you can spend two points from your Arcane Reservoir to gain a bonus to damage rolls with your bonded weapon as listed in the table below.

Arcanist Level	Damage
1st	1d4
5th	1d6
9th	1d8
16th	1d10

Finally, you gain an extra 2 hit points at level 1, and an extra 1d4 hit points every time you level up in this class.  

Bonus Proficiencies

At 1st level, you gain proficiencies in shortswords, longswords, rapiers, scimitars, light armor, medium armor, and shields.  

Extra Attack

At 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Moreover, you can cast one of your cantrips in place of one of those attacks.  

Student of the Blade

At 10th level, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20. As well, you gain advantage on all Strength and Dexterity saving throws.  

Arcane Attack

At 14th level, you've mastered the art of sword and sorcery, when you make an attack action on your turn, you can use your bonus action to cast a spell up to 4th level.  

Elemental Master

 

Elemental Bond

You've bonded yourself to the elemental planes and have absorbed some abilities. At 1st level, you gain resistance depending on your chosen element. As well, you gain cantrips tied to your chosen element (This cantrip doesn't count against your number of cantrips known). Finally, you gain a bonus to your AC, this bonus equals your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1).

Element	Damage	Cantrip
Air	Lightning	Gust
Earth	Bludgeoning	Mold Earth
Fire	Fire	Control Flames
Water	Cold	Shape Water

Elemental Strike

At 1st level, your bonded element has granted you special elemental abilities. You chose one of the Elemental Disciplines from the Way of Four Elements Monk (as long as you meet the prerequisites). You can only choose one that is tied to your chosen element, and you can use this Discipline using points from your Arcane Reservoir.  

Improved Elemental Strike

At 6th level, you gain another Elemental discipline from the Way of Four Elements Monk list, as well your spell attacks and elemental strikes ignore all resistances tied to your chosen element.  

Elemental Spells

At 10th level, your chosen element grants you spells which you can draw upon, casting these spells doesn't require concentration, nor do they require material components or count against your list of spells known, once you cast these spells, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Element	Spell
Air	Fly
Earth	Erupting Earth
Fire	Wall of Fire
Water	Watery Sphere

Supreme Elemental Strike

At 14th level, your chosen element has given you the ability to bypass the protection of certain creatures, your spell attacks, and elemental strikes ignore all immunities tied to your chosen element.  

School Savant

 

Bond to Magic

At 1st level, you've been bonded to the schools of magic themselves, choose one of the schools of magic, abjuration, conjuration, divination, enchantment, evocation, illusion, necromancy, or transmutation. You gain abilities from the following list tied to your school of magic.  

• Abjuration. You gain a bonus to your AC this bonus equals your Intelligence modifier.
• Conjuration. When you cast a spell of 1st level or higher, you can teleport up to 10 feet.
• Divination. During the 1st round of combat, all enemies have disadvantage on all melee attacks against you.
• Enchantment. You have advantage on all Charisma checks and saving throws.
• Evocation. When you cast an attack spell of 1st level or higher, you can add your proficiency bonus to the damage of that spell.
• Illusion. When you cast an illusion spell, it becomes physical and can be interacted with until you dismiss the spell.
• Necromancy. You have resistance against necrotic damage.
• Transmutation. You know the mending cantrip (this cantrip does not count against the number of cantrips you know), however, the material you can repair the break or tear in has been doubled.

 

Strength of Magic

At 6th level, you gain the 2nd wizard abilities tied to your chosen school of magic. As well, you gain one extra spell tied to your chosen school of magic, this spell must be of a level of which you can cast, this spell doesn't count against your list of spells known.  

Unlettered

 

Bond to the Spirits

You've bonded yourself to the spiritual energy of the world around you, at 1st level, you know the find familiar spell and can cast it without expending a spell slot, the familiar you summon can be a small beast of CR 1/2 or lower, as well, the familiar can take the attack action on its turn. Finally, the familiar's hp equals your Constitution score plus your level.