Exorcist (5e Class)

## **The Exorcist**

A necromancer sits on the shoulders of an ogre zombie, behind his forces of the undead as they rush into a town and begin to pillage it, cutting down people with ease. A group of figures that appear to be clerics rush forwards, wielding crosses, and the ogre zombie swings a club at one of them. As the club comes down, a devil covered in spikes appears, and attacks the ogre, ripping its arm off in just a slash of its claws, being commanded by one of the figures.

A woman bursts out of the window of her home, screaming in pain and speaking rapidly in a monstrous tongue, her flesh being a deathly pale. A man wearing a long coat and hat walks over to her, exuding an aura of calm even as the woman grabs his legs and claws at him. With ink and blood, he scrawls a circle across the ground, surrounding the woman, and then speaks a command word. Within moments, the woman is freed from the evil spirit, and rejoins her family, the man leaving without a word.

Legions of fiends pour out from a tear in reality, created by a diabolic cultist, opposed by only a few men and women. The few thrust forth weapons and shields with symbols of gods, which begin to glow brightly with a powerful energy. Before the army can escape, giant blasts of holy lightning disintegrate huge sections of them, sending them running back to the portal, leaving the cultist with the group.

Exorcists deal with banishing, expelling, and destroying monstrous creatures, whether it be the spirits of the dead that need to be brought back to rest, hellish beings that seek only destruction and pain, or horrific monsters that defy any logical anatomy. While clerics and paladins can handle these beings with holy magic, exorcists choose to specify themselves to other creatures than just undead and fiends, and are not afraid of using the traits of creatures they face against them.

### **Radiant Rejection**

Exorcists have a history of not getting along with churches in the worlds that they reside in, due to their unorthodox methods and dangerous techniques. Many exorcists have curses which prevent them from using divine magic, or were stricken by unholy beings that prevent them from being accepted as acolytes or squires. Instead, they study the creatures that they deal with, like one would study magic or any other subject.

### **Invoking and Purging**

As their name implies, exorcists commonly deal with the purging of unholy forces, including exorcising those who are possessed by spirits, and laying the dead back to rest. However, as well as banishing or destroying these forces, they also take advantage of their innate abilities to use against them. They know their foes better than any other person would, using rituals and techniques that specifically counter a creature's weaknesses.

### **Holy Saints**

Even as many exorcists are rejected by cathedrals and churches, they still show respect towards legends of the world, choosing to emulate their styles. This emulation may be for personal fulfillment, such as wanting to become like a hero that had saved them, or it may be out of spite for a monster that had ruined their life, wishing to destroy them with the skills that had been used on them long ago.

## **Creating an Exorcist**

Many exorcists have come across some form of unholy turmoil, which is both their reason for wanting to purge it and why they are not usually accepted as acolytes of clerics. If your character dealt with such turmoil, how did it affect them? Who or what caused this turmoil, and does your character know who or what did? Or, if your character doesn't know, why did they wish to become an exorcist?

Additionally, think about who might be an inspiration to your character, as a possible holy saint. Why do they idolize this specific person? Does this person know about your character, and if so, how do they feel about this idolization? How far does your exorcist go in their methods of emulating them?

Ask your GM about notable figures that your character may wish to idolize as a holy saint, and work with your GM to see how differently exorcists are treated compared to clerics or paladins. Are they viewed equally as those who banish unholy forces, or are one of the groups treated better than others? Would exorcists pass themselves off as clerics or paladins out of fear, or is being one openly a common occurrence?

### **Quick Build**

You can make an exorcist quickly by following these suggestions. First, put your highest ability score in Strength or Dexterity, followed by Intelligence. Second, choose the acolyte or noble background. Finally, choose a longsword or rapier and shield, scale mail, and a scholar's pack.

## **Class Feature**

As an exorcist you gain the following class features.

Hit Points
**Hit Dice:** 1d10 per exorcist level

**Hit Points at 1st Level:** 10 + Constitution modifier

**Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution modifier per exorcist level after 1st

Proficiencies
**Armor:** Light armor, medium armor, shields

**Weapons:** Simple weapons, martial weapons

**Tools:** Calligrapher's supplies

**Saving Throws:** Constitution, Intelligence

**Skills:** Choose two from Arcana, Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Persuasion and Religion

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

* (*a*) a martial weapon and a shield or (*b*) two martial weapons
* (*a*) scale mail or (*b*) leather armor, a hand crossbow & 20 bolts
* (*a*) a priest's pack or (*b*) a scholar's pack
* A holy symbol & calligrapher's supplies

### **Exorcism**

As an exorcist, you've studied how to expunge possession and mystical effects from creatures, with rituals. As a 1-minute ritual using calligrapher's supplies, you can scribe a magical circle that takes up a 5-foot area. When a willing creature or a creature charmed by you enters the circle, you can use your action to end any possession effects and magical effects on the creature. Magical effects must be caused by a spell level equal to or less than 1/4 of your exorcist level (rounded up). A magical circle becomes inactive after 8 hours, when you create another magical circle with this feature, or when you use your action to deactivate the circle.

### **Ghastly Resistance**

Your dealing with unholy forces has provided you a powerful resilience against their effects. You have advantage on saving throws against being possessed.

### **Fighting Style**

At 2nd level, you adopt a style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.

#### Archery

You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons

#### Defense

While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC

#### Dueling

When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.

#### Great Weapon Fighting

When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

#### Protection

When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a shield.

#### Two-Weapon Fighting

When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier.

### **Unholy Sacrament**

Starting at 2nd level, you have learned to both harm unholy creatures, and manipulate their powers to use against them. You learn two sacraments of your choice, and your sacrament options are detailed at the end of the class description. You can only use one sacrament per attack, if it affects an attack. You learn additional sacraments when you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Sacraments Known column of the Exorcist table. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the sacraments you know and replace it with another sacrament that you could learn at that level.

**Saving Throws**. Some of your sacraments require your target to make a saving throw to resist the sacrament’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

* **Sacrament save DC =** 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

### **Holy Saint**

By 3rd level, you choose a holy saint to emulate the style of, with your choices detailed at the end of the class description. Choose from the Saint of Binding, Saint of Light and the Saint of Scales. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level.

### **Ability Score Increase**

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.

### **Extra Attack**

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

### **Dreamcatcher**

Beginning at 6th level, your mind cannot be pierced as you rest, and can detect the unholy with ease. Magical effects, such as the *dream* spell, cannot prevent you from gaining the benefits of a long rest, and you cannot be surprised by creatures with the fiend or undead type.

### **Return to the Grave**

At 9th level, creatures you slay cannot return to life easily. When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points, it is affected by the *gentle repose* spell, using your Intelligence as the spellcasting ability for it.

### **Improved Ghastly Resistance**

By 11th level, your resistance to the unholy has improved. You have resistance to necrotic damage, and your hit point maximum can't be reduced by other creatures.

### **Avoid Doom**

Starting at 13th level, your determination to bring the dead back to their place of rest prevents you from dying before your task is complete. You gain proficiency in death saving throws.

### **Dispelling Strike**

Beginning at 14th level, when you hit a creature that is affected by a magical effect of 3rd level or lower with a weapon attack, you can choose for the magical effect to be dispelled.

### **Banish the Unholy**

At 17th level, you have taught yourself to send outsiders back from where they came. You can cast *banishment* without a spell slot or components, using your Intelligence as your spellcasting ability. You can cast this spell in this way twice, and regain expended uses after a long rest.

### **Ghastly Immunity**

By 20th level, you are immune to necrotic damage and to being possessed. Additionally, your soul cannot be imprisoned or taken away from you unless you allow it to be.

## **Unholy Sacraments**

Exorcists typically have different types of monsters that they see as their nemeses, but all of them have methods of which to purge and invoke these creatures. Some may be focused on a specific type of monster, while others may be more general in what they slay. With their sacraments, exorcists can both use the powers of creatures they face, and stop them from using their own traits.

If a sacrament has prerequisites, you must meet them to learn it. You can learn the sacrament at the same time that you meet its prerequisites.

### **Invoke Dragon**

*Prerequisite:* Saint of Scales *archetype*

As an action, you can conjure up a powerful breath weapon, like a dragon. Creatures in a 15-foot cone emanating from yourself must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d6 fire damage on a failed saving throw, or half on a success. After using this sacrament, you must take a short or long rest before doing so, again.

### **Invoke Empyrean**

*Prerequisite:* Saint of Light *archetype, 13th level*

As an action, you can cast *lightning bolt* without a spell slot or components. When you cast this spell in this way, instead of dealing lightning damage, you can choose for it to deal one of the following damage types: acid, cold, fire, lightning, radiant, or thunder. After casting this spell in this way, you must take a long rest before doing so again.

### **Invoke Ghost**

As a bonus action, you can take the Disengage action. When you do so, you can move through creatures without them being difficult terrain, and can move through unlocked doors and windows as if they were difficult terrain, as well as objects that are less thick than 1 foot.

### **Invoke Planetar**

*Prerequisite:* Saint of Light *archetype*

When you make a Wisdom (Insight) check to determine if a creature is lying, you are considered proficient in the Insight skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.

### **Invoke Shadow Demon**

*Prerequisite:* Saint of Binding *archetype, 5th level*

When you hit a creature with an attack with a weapon on your turn, you can use your bonus action to have shadows dance around on your weapon. The creature takes 2d6 additional necrotic damage.

### **Invoke Solar**

*Prerequisite:* Saint of Light *archetype*

When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one spell slot to deal radiant damage to the target, in addition to the weapon’s damage. The extra damage is 2d8 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d8 for each spell level higher than 1st, to a maximum of 5d8. The damage increases by 1d8 if the target is an undead or a fiend.

### **Invoke Vampire**

When another creature damages you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage by an amount equal to 1d8 + your Intelligence modifier.

### **Invoke Wyvern**

*Prerequisite:* Saint of Scales *archetype, 5th level*

A scaled tail with a stinger forms on your body. You are proficient with this stinger, and can make weapon attacks with it. When you hit with it, it deals 1d8 piercing damage and forces creatures that are hit to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed saving throw, the creature is poisoned until the end of its next turn.

### **Purge Balor**

*Prerequisite:* Saint of Binding *archetype*

You gain resistance to fire and lightning damage. As a reaction to a creature within 10 feet of yourself taking fire or lightning damage, you can reduce the damage by half.

### **Purge Chasme**

*Prerequisite:* Saint of Binding *archetype*

When you hit a creature with an attack with a weapon on your turn, you can aim for the creature's methods of flight. The creature must make a Dexterity saving throw, and on a failed saving throw, the creature has its flight speed halved.

### **Purge Doppelganger**

When you hit a creature with an attack with a weapon on your turn, your strike destroys false forms. The creature must make a Charisma saving throw, and on a failed saving throw, if the creature is a shapechanger or has the Change Shape action and is in a different form than its original form, it is forced back into its true form.

### **Purge Dracolich**

*Prerequisite:* Saint of Scales *archetype*

When you hit a creature with an attack with a weapon on your turn, ethereal chains try to wrap around the creature, binding it from using its most powerful abilities. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw, and on a failed saving throw, it cannot use any actions it has with the Recharge property until the end of its next turn.

### **Purge Ghast**

When you hit a creature with an attack with a weapon on your turn, you can make its ability to affect creatures weaker. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw, and on a failed saving throw, the first time the creature forces a target to make a saving throw within the next minute, the target has advantage on the saving throw.

### **Purge Revenant**

As a bonus action, you can try to force a creature within 30 feet of yourself to abandon its quarry. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw, and on a failed saving throw, it forgets about any creature it was tracking for 1 hour. The effect ends immediately if the creature the target was tracking was tracking can be seen by the target. The target can repeat the saving throw whenever it would be reminded of the creature, such as other creatures reminding it, or a symbol that is strongly associated with the creature.

### **Purge Specter**

When you hit a creature with an attack with a weapon on your turn, you can stop it from draining the life of the living. The creature must make a Strength saving throw, and on a failed saving throw, it cannot reduce the hit point maximum of creatures until the end of its next turn.

### **Purge Wraith**

When you hit a creature with an attack with a weapon on your turn, your blade can rip it out of incorporeality. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw, and on a failed saving throw, it loses any traits it has that involve it being incorporeal, such as Incorporeal Movement. Additionally, your weapon counts as being magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance and immunity for this attack.

### **Purge Zombie**

When you make an attack with a weapon on your turn, you can coat it in powerful sunlight. This attack deals radiant damage instead of its regular damage type.

## **Holy Saints**

Exorcists, though most may lack divine magic, still look towards a figure to worship and emulate the style of, known as a saint. A saint could be a deity, a legendary hero-both mythical tales and real ones-or a powerful being such as a solar, demon lord, or ancient dragon. Most exorcists do not meet these creatures, however in rare cases an exorcist may personally know the being, possibly being trained in the rites of an exorcist by them.

## **Saint of Binding**

Though it may seem to many as hypocritical to emulate those involved with fiends as one who exorcises the unholy, studying fiends closely is one of the easiest ways to know how to slay them. Many saints who classify as saints of binding are known as diabolists, or may be demon lords themselves, and are the most common for exorcists that emulate them to be studying them out of antagonism, rather than admiration.

### **Demon Hunter**

When you choose this saint, at 3rd level, you gain the ability to sense fiends around you. As an action, you can extend your mind to detect hellish creatures. Until the end of your next turn, you know the location of any fiend within 60 feet of you that is not behind total cover. You know its subtype, such as demon or devil, but not its identity. You can use this feature a number of times equal to 1 + your Intelligence modifier. When you finish a long rest, you regain all expended uses.

### **Dark Weapon**

Starting at 7th level, you can bind the life energy of a fiend to a weapon you wield. As a 10-minute ritual in which a weapon of your choice is surrounded in one of your magic circles from your Exorcism feature, you bind a fiend to the weapon. You can bind two weapons, and binding an additional weapon ends the binding on the first weapon. The weapon becomes magical if it wasn't before, and the wielder while holding the weapon can understand Abyssal or Infernal depending on the type of fiend. Additionally, while you wield a weapon bound to a fiend, you gain one of the following benefits, which you choose when you bind a fiend to the weapon.

 The weapon deals an additional 1d4 fire damage on a hit.

### **Chained Chaos**

Beginning at 10th level, you can force a hellish monster to serve you, summoning it from the depths of the Abyss or the Nine Hells. You can cast *conjure elemental* at its lowest level without a spell slot or components. When cast in this way, you conjure a fiend instead of an elemental. After casting this spell in this way, you must take a long rest before you do so, again.

### **Infernal Curator**

At 15th level, you have learned to manipulate fiends as well as they manipulate most people. Whenever you make a Charisma check when interacting with a fiend, your proficiency bonus is doubled if it applies to the check.

### **Blood Pact**

By 18th level, you can make a permanent pact with a fiend when you conjure it. When you use your Chained Chaos feature, you can choose to reduce your hit point maximum by half. When you do so, the fiend stays summoned by the spell until your next long rest and you do not need to keep concentration on the spell. When the spell ends, your hit point maximum is restored to its normal maximum.

## **Saint of Light**

Many exorcists have to rely on other methods than divine magic to reach their goals, however there are some who study those who wield divine power to gain some of their own. Many saints who classify as saints of light are famous clerics or paladins, or may be celestials. Most exorcists who emulate saints of light become clerics or paladins eventually, however not all do.

### **Spellcasting**

When you choose this saint, at 3rd level, your studying of holy saints and how their magic works lets you cast spells.

**Cantrips**. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the cleric spell list. You learn an additional cleric cantrip of your choice at 10th level.

**Spell Slots**. The Saint of Light Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your 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 three 1st-level cleric spells of your choice, two of which you must choose from the divination and evocation spells on the cleric spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Saint of Light Spellcasting table shows when you learn more cleric spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be a divination or evocation spell of your choice, and must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 7th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.

The spells you learn at 8th, 14th, and 20th level can come from any school of magic.

Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the cleric spells you know with another spell of your choice from the cleric spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots, and it must be a divination or evocation spell, unless you’re replacing the spell you gained at 8th, 14th, or 20th level.

**Spellcasting Ability.** Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your cleric spells, as you learn your spells from constant studying. 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 a cleric 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 a holy symbol as a spellcasting focus for your cleric spells.

### **Channel Divinity**

Additionally, at 3rd level, you gain the ability to emulate the channeling of divine energy that clerics would. You start with one effect: Holy Rite. When you use your Channel Divinity, you choose which effect to create. You must then finish a short or long rest to use your Channel Divinity again. Some Channel Divinity effects require saving throws. When you use such an effect from this class, the DC equals your saint of light spell save DC.

Beginning at 15th level, you can use your Channel Divinity twice between rests.

#### Channel Divinity: Holy Rite

As an action, you present your holy symbol and speak a prayer to embolden a friendly creature. One creature within 30 feet that can hear you is surrounded in holy light, for 1 minute. For the duration, the creature gains temporary hit points at the start of each of its turns equal to your spellcasting ability modifier, and cannot be possessed or frightened.

### **War Magic**

Beginning at 7th level, when you use your action to cast a cantrip, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.

### **Sacramental Cantrip**

At 10th level, when you cast a cantrip that allows you to make a melee or ranged spell attack, you can activate an unholy sacrament, treating the cantrip's melee or ranged spell attack as a melee or ranged weapon attack.

### **Improved War Magic**

By 18th level, when you use your action to cast a spell, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.

## **Saint of Scales**

Existing as symbols of many things in endless numbers of cultures, many exorcists choose to follow saints relating to dragons. Many saints who classify as saints of scales are half-dragons that use their draconic nature for their goals, or are true dragons themselves. Many exorcists who emulate these saints choose to bathe in dragon's blood to become half-dragons, further emulating their saint.

### **Draconic Attunement**

When you choose this saint, at 3rd level, you choose a dragon to emulate and gain its feature. At your option, you also gain minor physical attributes that are reminiscent of the kind of dragon you chose, such as a dragon turtle's shell or a white dragon's scales.

* **Chromatic Dragon:** You gain the Invoke Dragon Unholy Sacrament, which doesn't count towards your Sacraments Known, and when you use it, instead of dealing fire damage, it deals one of the following damage types: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. Additionally, it deals an additional die of damage.
* **Dragon Turtle:** While not wearing armor, your armor class is equal to 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can equip a shield and still gain this benefit.
* **Metallic Dragon:** You gain two of the following spells, and can cast both of them once without a spell slot or components, using Intelligence as your spellcasting ability: *command, disguise self, grease, ray of sickness, sleep*. After you cast a spell, you must take a long rest before casting that spell with this feature, again.
* **Wyvern:** When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can use your bonus action to shove a creature.

### **Eye of the Serpent**

Starting at 7th level, you gain a powerful attribute based on a dragon of your choice. You can choose the same dragon you selected at 3rd level or a different one.

* **Chromatic Dragon:** You appear imposing and powerful to dragons. Whenever you make a Charisma check when interacting with dragons, your proficiency bonus is doubled and applied to the check, regardless of if you are proficient or not. Additionally, your Invoke Dragon Unholy Sacrament deals an additional die of damage.
* **Dragon Turtle:** You gain the gills and bits of webbed flesh, like a dragon turtle. You gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed, and can breathe water as well as air.
* **Metallic Dragon:** The more knowledgeable spirit of the metallic dragon teaches you its ways. You gain proficiency in two of the following skills: Arcana, History, Perception, Nature.
* **Wyvern:** Your arms seem to elongate and become powerful, like a wyvern's wings. You are always under the effects of the *feather fall* spell.

### **Scaled Exorcist**

Beginning at 10th level, you gain another powerful attribute based on a dragon of your choice. You can choose the same dragon you selected previously or a different one.

* **Chromatic Dragon:** You gain resistance to one of the following damage types: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. Additionally, your Invoke Dragon Unholy Sacrament deals an additional die of damage.
* **Dragon Turtle:** You gain resistance to cold damage, fire damage resulting from steam such as from a dragon turtle, and have advantage on saving throws against being forced to move or knocked prone.
* **Metallic Dragon:** You add your Intelligence modifier to saving throws you are proficient in.
* **Wyvern:** You gain immunity to poison and the poisoned condition.

### **Dragon Wings**

At 15th level, you gain the ability to sprout a pair of dragon wings from your back, gaining a flying speed equal to your current speed. These wings appear like the wings of one of the kinds of dragons you have chosen in a feature from this archetype. You can create these wings as a bonus action on your turn. They last until you dismiss them as a bonus action on your turn. You can't manifest your wings while wearing armor unless the armor is made to accommodate them, and clothing not made to accommodate your wings might be destroyed when you manifest them.

### **Blood of the Wyrm**

By 18th level, you gain an ultimate boon of dragonkind, based on a dragon of your choice. You can choose the same dragon you selected previously or a different one.

* **Chromatic Dragon:** When you are unable to use your Invoke Dragon Unholy Sacrament, roll a d6 at the start of each of your turns. On a roll of 5 or 6, you can use it again. Additionally, your Invoke Dragon Unholy Sacrament deals 2 additional dice of damage.
* **Dragon Turtle:** Your armor class increases by 2, and can never be lower than 16 total.
* **Metallic Dragon:** You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
* **Wyvern:** Your flight speed from Dragon Wings is doubled.

## **Multiclassing**

**Prerequisites.** To qualify for multiclassing into the exorcist class, you must meet these prerequisites: Intelligence 13

**Proficiencies.** When you multiclass into the exorcist class, you gain the following proficiencies: Light armor, medium armor, shields, simple weapons, martial weapons, calligrapher's tools