User:Ghostwheel/Mesmerist (5e Class)

Author: Ghostwheel (talk) Date Created: October 5, 2015 Status: Complete Editing: Clarity edits only please

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Mesmerist

The man whispers a word beneath his breath, instilling a hypnotic suggestion into his friend the paladin who cuts down the demon far more easily than she would have expected.

Clad in a soft robe, a half-elven maid hums a simple tune beneath her breath, catching her breath between the ineffectual beats of the swordsman cursing his own lack of ability.

A chuckle emanates from within the darkened hood before it is split in two, only to vanish into thin air by the angered half-orc who looks around in surprise for his prey.

Regardless of their chosen profession, the mesmerist can turn almost any being to their will with enough time, causing them to act as they wish by manipulating the minds of those around them.

Manipulating the Mind

A consummate trickster, the mesmerist specializes in hypnotizing both friend and foe to devastating effect. Within the minds of those affected, he instills specific suggestions that lead to greater abilities or to the downfall of his prey. Working through others rather than through his own power much of the time, the mesmerist manipulates those around him to do just as he wishes, all the while causing them to believe that it was they themselves who made the decision to act in whatever way the mesmerist guided them towards.

Con Men and Advisers

While many a mesmerist uses their individual talents for personal glory and wealth, others help their allies, be they kings or warriors, to reach greatness, guiding their destiny upon chosen tracks to lead them to greater heights from which they might affect the world in a positive manner. But for every good mesmerist, a dozen dastardly ones lay hidden among the common folk, swindling others for their hard-earned gold and trading their lies for truths best left unspoken.

Creating a Mesmerist

Mesmerists are among the most sneaky of folk--at least socially speaking. They might have started in a humble upbringing, but soon the call of minds just waiting to be manipulated called them away from their daily routine and out into the world. Regardless, your past is important for your future, as there are many who might remember some small slight against them and hold a grudge. However, you are the true master of your destiny despite the past that might haunt you.

Quick Build

You can make a mesmerist quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your highest ability score, followed by Dexterity. Second, choose the criminal background. Third, choose agonal delay and compel haste from Hypnotic Tricks. Fourth, choose the friends and vicious mockery cantrips.

Class Features

As a Mesmerist, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per Mesmerist level
Hit Points at 1st Level: d8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 + your Constitution modifier

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, light crossbows
Tools: Disguise Kit, Forgery Kit
Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
Skills: Choose three from Arcana, Deception, History, Intimidation, Insight, Investigation, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, Stealth.

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) a dagger or (b) a light crossbow
• (a) an arcane focus or (b) a component pouch
• (a) a diplomat's pack or (b) an entertainer's pack

The Mesmerist

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Tricks Known
1st	+2	Spellcasting, Hypnotic Trick, Implant Suggestion	2
2nd	+2	Mesmerizing Voice, Out of Mind	3
3rd	+2	Mesmerist Path	3
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	3
5th	+3	Mobius Brain Cypher, Psychic Backlash	3
6th	+3	Mesmerist Path Feature	4
7th	+3	Effortless Imperative, Layered Implant	4
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	4
9th	+4		4
10th	+4	Soothing Tone, Symbiotic Implant	5
11th	+4	Delver of Minds	5
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	5
13th	+5		5
14th	+5	Mesmerist Path Feature	6
15th	+5	Master Manipulator, Smoke and Mirrors	6
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	6
17th	+6		6
18th	+6	Entrapment	7
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	7
20th	+6	Reality Revision	7

Unless specifically called out, the DC of all mesmerist class features is equal to 8 + proficiency bonus + Charisma modifier.

Spellcasting

By 1st level, you have learned to untangle and reshape the fabric of reality by forcing your will upon lesser creatures. Your spells are part of your vast repertoire of tricks, magic that you can tune to different situations. See chapter 10 for the general rules of spellcasting and the end of this section for the mesmerist spell list.

Cantrips

At 1st level, you know two cantrips of your choice from the mesmerist spell list. You learn an additional summoner cantrip of your choice at 10th level and another at 14th level.

Preparing and Casting Spells

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

You prepare the list of mesmerist spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the mesmerist spell list. When you do so, choose a number of mesmerist spells equal to your Charisma modifier + half your mesmerist level, rounded down (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

For example, if you are a 5th-level mesmerist, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With a Charisma of 14, your list of prepared spells can include four spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell sleep, you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn't remove it from your list of prepared spells.

You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of mesmerist spells requires time spent undergoing autohypnosis for at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.

Spellcasting Ability

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your mesmerist spells, since the power of your magic relies on how well you can influence the minds of others. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a mesmerist spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Spellcasting Focus

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

Ritual Casting

You can cast a mesmerist spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell prepared.

Table: Summoner Spellcasting

Level	Cantrips Known	Spell Slots per Spell Level
		1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
1st	2	2	—	—	—	—
2nd	2	2	—	—	—	—
3rd	2	3	—	—	—	—
4th	2	3	—	—	—	—
5th	2	4	2	—	—	—
6th	2	4	2	—	—	—
7th	2	4	3	—	—	—
8th	2	4	3	—	—	—
9th	2	4	3	2	—	—
10th	3	4	3	2	—	—
11th	3	4	3	3	—	—
12th	3	4	3	3	—	—
13th	3	4	3	3	1	—
14th	4	4	3	3	1	—
15th	4	4	3	3	2	—
16th	4	4	3	3	2	—
17th	4	4	3	3	3	1
18th	4	4	3	3	3	1
19th	4	4	3	3	3	2
20th	4	4	3	3	3	2

Mesmerist cantrips

Cantrips: Dancing Lights, Friends, Guidance, Light, Message, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation, Resistance, Vicious Mockery

1st Level: Animal Friendship, Bane, Bless, Charm Person, Color Spray, Command, Comprehend Languages, Cure Wounds, Detect Magic, Disguise Self, Dissonant Whispers, Healing Word, Heroism, Illusory Script, Sanctuary, Silent Image, Sleep, Tasha's Hideous Laughter

2nd Level: Aid, Blindness/Deafness, Calm Emotions, Crown of Madness, Darkness, Detect Thoughts, Enhance Ability, Enthrall, Invisibility, Mirror Image, Nystul's Magic Aura, Phantasmal Force, Ray of Enfeeblement, Suggestion

3rd Level: Bestow Curse, Dispel Magic, Fear, Feign Death, Hypnotic Pattern, Remove Curse, Sending, Slow, Tongues

4th Level: Compulsion, Confusion, Dominate Beast, Phantasmal Killer

5th Level: Contagion, Dominate Person, Mislead, Modify Memory, Rary's Telepathic Bond, Seeming

Implant Suggestion

You are able to implant hypnotic suggestions into yourself or your allies, allowing them to push themselves unconsciously beyond their normal abilities. At 1st level, you know two of the tricks below for which you qualify, and gain an additional one at 2nd level and every 4 levels hence.

A number of times equal to your proficiency bonus plus your Charisma bonus, you may implant a specific hypnotic trick you know into yourself or an ally within 30' with a bonus action, and it remains implanted in the creature for 10 minutes before dissipating. Only one trick may be implanted into any given creature. As a reaction to a given event (detailed in the specific trick) you may activate the implanted trick, causing the effect to occur. You regain all uses of Implant Suggestion upon completing a long rest. A creature must be able to clearly hear or see you in order for you to activate the suggestion.

Hypnotic Tricks

You know various hypnotic suggestions and tricks with which you can implant into your allies using the Implant Suggestion class feature. At first level, gain access to two of the following tricks below for which you qualify for. You gain additional tricks according to the Tricks Known column of the Mesmerist table.

Agonal Delay
When a creature implanted with this suggestion takes damage, you may activate this suggestion to reduce the damage taken by an amount equal to your level plus your proficiency bonus.

Bilocation
When a creature implanted with this suggestion succeeds on a saving throw but would still take some negative effect, you may activate this suggestion to prevent any effect from taking place.

Bradycardic Activation
When a creature implanted with this suggestion would be required to roll a Constitution, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw, you may activate this suggestion to give it advantage on the roll.

Compel Haste
You may activate this suggestion to grant the implanted creature an additional bonus action that must be used to take a Dash action.

Displacement Dissonance
Requires mesmerist level 18.
When an implanted creature is attacked with a melee weapon, you may activate this suggestion to force the attacking creature to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed saving throw, choose a different square within the creature's reach, forcing the creature to attack that square instead.

Ignore Restrictions
Requires mesmerist level 18.
When an implanted creature would be restrained in some way (such as grappled, paralyzed, or the like), you may activate this suggestion to cause them to gain the effects of the freedom of movement spell until the end of their next turn.

Improved Agonal Delay
Requires mesmerist level 10 and the Agonal Delay trick.
This works as per Agonal Delay, but occurs both the first and second times the target would take damage until the end of that creature's next turn.

Improved Bilocation
Requires mesmerist level 14 and the Bilocation trick.
When a creature implanted with this suggestion fails on a saving throw against an effect that would have negative consequences on a successful saving throw, you may activate this suggestion in order to allow them to replace the rolled saving throw with a 20.

Improved Monstrous Mien
Requires mesmerist level 16 and the Monstrous Mien trick.
This works as per the Monstrous Mien trick, but applies to all attacks made by the attacking creature until the start of their next turn.

Monstrous Mien
Requires mesmerist level 6.
When a creature implanted with this suggestion is attacked, you may activate this suggestion to cause their face to contort unnaturally, causing the attacker to suffer disadvantage on the attack.

Reactive Feedback
Upon rolling initiative, you may activate this implant to choose one of the following: either treat your initiative as one less than the implanted creature's initiative, or treat their initiative as one less than yours. This implant may be activated even if you would not normally be allowed a reaction (such as if you were surprised).

Remove Physical Limiter
When a creature implanted with this suggestion makes a Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution ability check, you may activate this trick to grant them advantage on that roll.

Sleeper Commands
Requires mesmerist level 10.
When a creature implanted with this suggestion is charmed, frightened or stunned, you may activate this trick in order to give them short commands which they follow. They ignore the above conditions until the end of their next turn.

Timid Veneer
Requires mesmerist level 10.
When the implanted creature takes damage, you may activate this suggestion to cause them to appear weaker than they truly are, goading the attacking creature to finish them off. The attacking creature must make a Wisdom saving throw, or they must target the implanted creature with any attacks, or include them within the area of any offensive area-of-effect abilities used until the end of their next round.

Mesmerizing Voice

By speaking to a creature for a length of time, your voice can cause them to fall into a lull, dulling their senses and making them more pliable to your demands. At 2nd level, if you speak to a humanoid for up to a minute about any subject, they must succeed on a Wisdom save against your spell save DC or become charmed by you, and have disadvantage on perception checks. This effect ends after one hour, if the target takes any damage, or if it witnesses you attacking or damaging any of its allies. Even if the target succeeds on the saving throw, it has no hint that you tried to charm it. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Out of Mind

Your demeanor makes you easily forgettable, causing people difficulty in remembering precisely where you were or what you talked about. Starting at 3rd level, creatures attempting to recall identifying characteristics about you must make an Intelligence saving throw or be unable to recall any particulars about you. Furthermore, creatures attempting to gather information about you have disadvantage when doing so.

Mesmerist Path

At 3rd level, you choose a path that you wish to follow when using your hypnotic suggestion on those around you. Choose Confidence Man, Kingmaker, or Mindtwister, all detailed at the end of the class description. The path you choose grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th and 14th level.

Ability Score Improvements

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.

Mobius Brain Cypher

Your deftness a implanting suggestions becomes almost an innately magical ability. Upon reaching 5th level, if you would end an encounter with a number of uses of Implant Suggestion left less than your Charisma modifier, the number of uses of Implant Suggestion you posses resets to a number equal to your Charisma modifier.

Psychic Feedback

At 5th level, you leave a psychic footprint when implanting suggestions that damages the minds of hostile beings when they are triggered. Whenever you activate a Hypnotic Trick, all hostile creatures within 5' of the creature within which the trick was implanted take Psychic damage equal to your Charisma modifier. The radius of this effect increases by 5' at class level 10 and every 5 levels hence.

Effortless Imperative

Your manipulation of your allies becomes second-nature to you at 7th level. You gain an additional reaction each round, though this reaction can only be used to trigger one of the Hypnotic Tricks you've implanted.

Layered Implant

At 7th level, your mastery of mental manipulation allows you to layer your implanted suggestions. Upon using Implant Suggestion, you may choose two Hypnotic Tricks which you have access to, and implant both in that creature's mind with only one use of Implant Suggestion. However, activating either of these expends them both.

Soothing Tone

Your voice is smooth and soothing, raising the morale of your allies and denying their hurts and pains. At 10th level, upon finishing a long rest, you and all of your allies gain a number of temporary hit points equal to your mesmerist level plus your Charisma modifier. Upon finishing a short rest, if an ally has less temporary hit points than your Charisma modifier, the number of temporary hit points they possess becomes equal to your Charisma modifier.

Symbiotic Implant

At 10th level, your hypnotic suggestions become virtually live things, ticking time bombs living within the subconscious of your target. A number of times equal to your Charisma modifier when using Implant Suggestion, you may choose a single cantrip you know. When you activate that suggestion, you may choose to cast the cantrip as part of your reaction. You regain all uses of Symbiotic Implant after completing a long rest. The ally who was the target of Implant Suggestion is considered to be the source of the cantrip for the purpose of range.

Delver of Minds

You know you allies' minds so well that you can implant suggestions with barely a word and a gesture. At 11th level, you may implant a suggestions in two creatures as a bonus action from up to 60' away by spending three uses of Implant Suggestion.

Smoke and Mirrors

You have a plethora of useful tools about you ready to deceive the eye and befuddle the mind. Upon reaching 15th level, as a reaction upon being attacked, you may activate this ability to teleport 30' in any direction to anywhere you can see. This ability recharges upon taking a long rest.

Master Manipulator

At 15th level, your knowledge of the mind deepens, allowing you to implant suggestions within creatures that they do not recall. As part of speaking to a creature for one minute, you may cast upon them the Suggestion spell without expending a spell slot. On a failed saving throw, the creature has no recollection that you were the one who suggested they do the deed. You may attempt use this on a creature only once every 24 hours.

Entrapment

At 18th level, the knowledge you have gained allows you to cause creatures to explain themselves when they would wish to divulge no information whatsoever. By speaking to a creature for one minute, you may force them to roll Wisdom and Charisma saving throws. Should one saving throw fail, they inadvertently tell you some minor secret. Should both saving throws fail, instead they divulge a major secret, and do not recall telling you it. You may attempt use this on a creature only once every 24 hours.

Reality Revision

Upon reaching 20th level, your will becomes so powerful that you can implant your suggestions upon the world as a whole. You gain an additional 9th level spell slot which you can use to cast the Wish spell. Should you become unable to cast the Wish spell, you lose this additional spell slot, but may choose a spell from any list of any level, and may add it to your spells known.

Mesmerist Path

Choose a mesmerist path, which describes what type of mesmerist you are. Your choice grants you features when you choose it at 3rd level, and again at 6th and 14th level.

Path of the Confidence Man

A sucker is born every minute, or so the saying goes. From a young age, you decided not to be one of those suckers, but instead take advantage of them through your skills and the power you wield.

Rip Deal

You know precisely how to frame an object to get the highest value for it. At 3rd level, when you attempt to sell a rare object (as opposed to a trade good), those who attempt to appraise it have disadvantage on the roll and do not offer less than 75% of its actual value.

Mimic Confidant

You can mimic the voice of someone who can be relied upon in almost any situation. At 6th level as a bonus action, you can force a creature to make a Wisdom saving throw or use its bonus action to move up to its speed somewhere you specify. The area specified cannot be clearly dangerous. Upon using this ability, it is expended until you take a short rest.

Assume Authority

At 14th level, with a word and a gesture, you can convince people that you are someone of authority, and that they should fully trust you. By speaking to someone for one minute, you can force them to make a Wisdom saving throw or believe that you are a person of some importance, and willing to give you whatever aid they can, even at considerable personal cost. You can only attempt this ability once every 24 hours on any one target.

Path of the King Maker

While other mesmerists use their powers for nefarious ends, you know that you have a righteous path. While you may not be king, you can put those who are truly worth there, helping them reach their full potential.

Support the Fallen

At 3rd level, you know that your allies need support and strengthen their minds so that their bodies might better be able to weather blows. Upon activating a hypnotic trick, the target gains a number of temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier.

Spread Fame

Sometimes those you support are unable to speak well for themselves, meaning word of their deeds cannot reach all corners of a city. Upon reaching 6th level, by spending 2d4 hours among a populace you can create a general air of positivity towards one ally with whom you have traveled for at least one week. This generally affects most people of a town, or of a ward of a city, causing most to look kindly upon you and provide you small favors freely (as per the Folk Hero background's rustic hospitality feature).

Enshrine Deeds

Not every hero has a story, but those who travel with you certainly do--partly because you allowed them to. At 14th level, upon activating a hypnotic trick in an ally (apart from yourself), that ally gains advantage on a saving throw, attack, or ability check they make within the next round.

Path of the Mind Twister

There is nothing more fun than twisting the minds of people. You could do it forever if only you had the time, and simply watching puppets dance to your strings brings you the greatest of joy.

Reflect Fear

Upon reaching 3rd level, you may reflect fear back upon your enemies. Upon succesfully making a saving throw against an effect that would cause you to be frightened, you may reflect that fear upon the source of that ability as a reaction. The target must make the same saving throw against the same DC, or become Frightened (with you as the source) for the normal duration of the effect, along with any other effects inherent within the spell.

Hamstring Mind

The mind is such a fragile thing, and so easily crushed if one simply knows what buttons to push. At 6th level, you may use a bonus action to force a creature to make a Wisdom saving throw or gain disadvantage on their next Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throws until the end of your current turn. This ability recharges upon finishing a long rest.

Nightmare Spinner

The mind truly breaks easily for those who would stand in your way. At 14th level, you may exude an aura of fear for up to one minute as an action by concentrating (as if you were casting a concentration spell), causing all hostile creatures within 60' to make a Wisdom saving throw or become Frightened until the aura ends. This save is repeated at the end of each creature's round to see if it continues to be Frightened. A creature that succeeds on this saving throw is immune to your aura for 24 hours, and the aura recharges upon taking a long rest.

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