Chainmaster (5e Prestige Class)

## Chainmaster

A Chainmaster is a warlock that has taken the Pact of the Chain, but theirs is altered to allow them to command their empowered familiar to a greater extent. Devils, illithids, and the kuo-toa were the first to truly master the magic of the Chainmasters, and as such, many users of it are not seen in the highest light. Chainmasters are very rare among warlocks, as some see the idea of using magic crafted by evil beings that are not patrons to be even worse, while some patrons might outright forbid their warlocks to become Chainmasters.

### **Prerequisites**

In order to become a Chainmaster, you must meet the following prerequisites:

* **Charisma 13.** Chainmasters require a powerful personality to be able to command their familiar to the best of their degree.
* **Character level 5th.** Chainmasters need to be more powerful than their familiars, otherwise they will not be able to command them.
* **Pact of the Chain.** While not every Chainmaster will be a full-on warlock, they still do require the ability to conjure an empowered familiar, via the Pact of the Chain.
* **Complete a special task.** You must find a current Chainmaster, or some other sort of magical slaver, and have them tutor you in the ways of the Chainmaster. A tutor cannot promote your level above their own Chainmaster level, however, some powerful Illithids, devils, and even some kuo-toa naturally come across the abilities on their own, forming new tutors some irregularly.

### **Class Features**

As a Chainmaster, you gain the following class features.

#### **Hit Points**

**Hit Dice:** 1d8 per Chainmaster level

**Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Chainmaster level after 1st

Proficiencies
**Weapons:** whips, nets, a martial weapon of your choice

**Tools:** none

**Skills:** Intimidation, Persuasion

#### **Equipment**

The Chainmaster class does not grant any special equipment.

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#### Pact Magic

At 1st level, your pact magic continues to progress as if you were still taking levels in the prerequisite class using the same spell list available to the prerequisite class.

#### Eldritch Invocations

At 1st level, your eldritch invocations continue to progress as if you were still taking levels in the prerequisite class.

#### Expanded Familiars

At 1st level, you have learned the ways of summoning additional creatures, to act as your familiars. When you cast *find familiar,* you can choose one of the normal forms for your familiar, one of the special forms granted by the Pact of the Chain, or one of the additional Chainmaster special forms: any mephit (though the size is changed to Tiny), a stirge, or a young faerie dragon. Each form has a special bonus when being a familiar, and all can be communicated with telepathically if you are within 1 mile of it. Finally, their Intelligence score is increased to 6, if it is any lower.

##### Mephits

You gain the innate spellcasting trait of your mephit, while within 45 feet of it.

##### Stirge

You gain temporary hit points equal to 1/2 the damage your stirge deals with its blood drain, while within 30 feet of it.

##### Young Faerie Dragon

While within 10 feet of your faerie dragon, you share it's magic resistance trait.

#### Improved Familiar

At 2nd level, your familiar gains a variety of benefits while it is linked with you.

* Your familiar loses the Multiattack feature, if it had one.
* Your familiar obeys your commands as best it can. It rolls for initiative like any other creature, but you determine its actions, decisions, attitudes, and so on. If you are incapacitated or absent, your familiar acts on its own.
* Your familiar has abilities and game statistics determined in part by your level. Your familiar uses your proficiency bonus rather than its own. In addition to the areas where it normally uses its proficiency bonus, your familiar also adds its proficiency bonus to its damage rolls.
* Your familiar has a number of hit die equal to 1/2 your warlock level plus your Chainmaster level. (min 1)
* Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement class feature of the warlock class, your familiar's abilities also improve. Your servant 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 servant can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature unless its description specifies otherwise. If you have gained the Ability Score Improvement from the warlock class prior to gaining this feature, you may increase your familiar's ability scores the moment you gain this feature.

#### War Familiar

At 3rd level, your familiar's combat capabilities improve to suit your needs. Instead of using up one of your attacks, you may choose to use the Attack action on your turn, and if your familiar can see you, it can use its reaction to make a melee attack.

#### Expanded Familiars II

When you reach 4th level you gain even more forms for your familiar to take. When you cast *find familiar*, you can choose one of the normal forms for your familiar, one of the special forms granted by the Pact of the Chain, one of the prior additional Chainmaster special forms, or one of the following additional forms: flying sword, cockatrice (the size is changed to Tiny), magmin (the size is changed to Tiny), or intellect devourer (it does not have its Devour Intellect or Body Thief features). Each form has a special bonus when being a familiar, and all can be communicated with telepathically if you are within 1 mile of it. Finally, their Intelligence score is increased to 6, if it is any lower.

##### Flying Sword

You may wield your flying sword familiar as a weapon, and it is treated as a +1 magical weapon. You are automatically proficient with it, and, as a 10-minute ritual, you may change what weapon it takes the shape of.

##### Cockatrice

While within 15 feet of your cockatrice, you gain 30 feet of flying speed.

##### Magmin

While within 30 feet of your magmin, you gain resistance to fire-type damage, and deal 2d6 fire damage whenever a hostile creature within 5 feet of you hits you with a melee weapon attack.

##### Intellect Devourer

While within 60 feet of your intellect devourer, you gain 60 feet of telepathy.

#### Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

#### Quick Summon

At 5th level, you have gained the ability to attune yourself to your familiar more deeply than ever. The casting time for *find familiar* for you is changed to be 1 minute.