Justicar

A dragonborn clutching a vicious battleaxe waves a hand, the charging orc marauder staggers as lethargy overtakes him. A silver filigree collar forms around his neck, glowing as the dragonborn swings his axe, cleaving the orc's skull in twain.

Clad in black armor the tiefling chants under her breath, forming a glowing purple sigil on her breast. Strength increases, reflexes heighten. The tiefling cackles and she wades into the fray, cutting down bandits one by one.

The massive red dragon lands with grace as it taunts the elf before it. The elf traces a fiery insignia in the air and it appears over the dragon's heart. With a flash, the red dragon is engulfed in flames, shrieking in surprise at the effectiveness of the fire.

A dwarf slides behind cover and looks over the body of his fallen human comrade, a radiant halo surrounding his head. He places a hand on the dead body and the halo explodes, jolting the human back to life. As the human sits up, the dwarf chants a spell reinvigorating his ally.

In the shadows of the tavern, a pureblood looks on as a fight breaks out, her hobgoblin target among them. With a whisper a wispy aura surrounds the hobgoblin and she siphons off knowledge of his capabilities while he faces off against the drunkards at the bar.

With a mighty roar the goliath raises his hands to the air and a pillar of intricately stacked skulls bursts forth from the ground. The charging goblins around the skull totem fumble and fall as the goliath charges at them.

## Melee and Magic

Justicars hybridize the art of casting spells with the ferocity of melee combat. Most of these powerful warriors began their career as fighters that discovered their magical talents later in life, while others who were adept at spellcraft found that a sword fit their hand just as well. Because of their martial nature, justicars prefer more of a utility aspect to their magic, choosing to disorient the enemy with spells and then handle them with physical weapons.

## Weavers of Curses

The Justicar's brand is a special curse learned from their arcane training. This curse is their legacy and it is one that they will expand to fit their needs for as long as they draw breath. The brand itself can only be physically seen by the Justicar and those they wish to reveal it to, but its effects on those it curses are far more real than some simple illusion. The curse itself causes various physical debilitations depending on how the justicar has shaped it over the years, and its power grows stronger with the justicar. Unlike most spells, the justicar's curse is malleable allowing them to fit into the role they wish to play on the battlefield.

# Class Features

As a justicar, you gain the following class features

### Hit Points

* **Hit Dice:** 1d10 per justicar level
* **Hit Points at 1st Level:** 10 + your Constitution modifier
* **Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per justicar level after 1st

### Proficiencies

* **Armor:** All armors, shields
* **Weapons:** Simple weapons, martial weapons
* **Tools:** None
* **Saving Throws:** Constitution, Intelligence
* **Skills:** Choose two from Arcana, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Religion, and Survival

### Equipment

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

* (a) a martial weapon and shield or (b) two martial weapons
* (a) five javelins or (b) any simple weapon
* (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
* Chain mail and an arcane focus

### Starting Wealth

If you choose to start with gold instead of equipment, your starting gold is 5d4 x 10 gp.

## Brand

Beginning at 1st level you learn to use a special curse known as a brand. As a bonus action you curse a creature within 60 feet of you with your brand, which only you and those you choose can see. While branded, the target suffers from an affliction that reduces its speed by 10 feet, it also imposes a penalty to their weapon attack rolls equal to your proficiency bonus.

If a feature causes your brand to deal damage to a creature, the damage is considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistances and immunities to nonmagical attacks and damage.

The brand lasts for 1 minute. The brand is consumed early if the target dies, you die, or you are incapacitated. When you consume a brand, it is removed from the target and your brand's afflictions are nullified.

You can only curse one creature at a time with your brand, and multiple brands do not stack. You can curse creatures with your brand a number of times per short rest equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum once).

### Brand Aesthetics

How you manifest your brand on your enemies is up to you. The most common brand is usually a large glowing sigil on the chest or forehead of the target. But perhaps your brand is an aura that flows around the creature, or a mystical collar that encloses around their neck. While these aesthetics have no mechanical benefit, a little bit of flair goes a long way!

## Spellcasting

By the time you reach 2nd level, you have learned to use the arcane essence of the world to cast spells. See chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting and the end of this document for the justicar spell list.

### Spell Slots

The Justicar 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. For example, if you know the 1st-level spell animal friendship and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast animal friendship using either slot.

### Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

You know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the justicar spell list. The Spells Known column of the Justicar table shows when you learn more justicar spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 5th 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 justicar spells you know and replace it with another spell from the justicar spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

### Spellcasting Ability

Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your justicar spells, since your magic is drawn from the arcane energies of the weave. 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 justicar 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 (found in chapter 5 of the Player's Handbook) as a spellcasting focus for your sorcerer spells.

## Arcane Detonation

Starting at 2nd level, you can overload your brand with arcane energy causing it to explode. As an action, you can consume your brand and expend one justicar spell slot to deal force damage to the target. The damage is 1d6 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d6 for each spell level higher than 1st, up to maximum of 5d6.

This damage increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Justicar class table.

## Fighting Style

Also 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.

* **Blade Dancer.** While wielding a weapon that deals slashing damage, as long as you have advantage on the attack roll, you crit on a roll of 19-20.
* **Vicious Lancer.**While wielding a weapon that deals piercing damage, whenever you roll maximum damage with one of your damage dice for that weapon, the target receives a -1 penalty to its AC until the beginning of your next turn, to a maximum of -2.
* **Crushing Dominator.** While wielding a weapon that deals bludgeoning damage, whenever you score a critical hit on a creature with that weapon, they are knocked prone and their speed is reduced to 0 until the end of your next turn.

## Brandshaper

At 3rd level you hone your skills and learn how to manipulate your brand in powerful ways. Choose:

* Arcane Ravager
* Blackguard
* Forerunner
* Hierophant
* Runebinder
* Thaumaturgist

The archetype you choose grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels.

## Brandshaper Spells

Each brandshaper has a list of associated spells. You gain access to these spells at the levels specified in the brandshaper description. These spells don't count against the number of justicar spells you know. You also cannot replace them when you increase in level. If you gain a brandshaper spell that doesn’t appear on the justicar spell list, the spell is nonetheless a justicar spell for you.

## 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.

## Extra Attack

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

## Curse Jumper

At 7th level your control over your brand expands, allowing you to move it from target to target. Whenever a branded creature within 60 feet of you drops to 0 hit points before the brand's duration ends, you can use a bonus action on a subsequent turn to move the brand to another creature within range without consuming it.

## Cursebinder

At 11th level your mastery of your brand allows you to curse multiple targets. You can now have two brands active simultaneously as long as they are not on the same creature.

The number of simultaneous brands you can have active increases to 3 at 15th level, and increases to 4 at 18th level.

## Hexmage

Beginning at 20th level, you have mastered the art of cursing foes with your brand. When you roll initiative and have no uses of your curse left, you regain one use of your brand.

Additionally, the number of brands you can place per short rest increases by 1, and you can curse an additional creature with your brand.

# Brandshaper Archetypes

## Arcane Ravager

Arcane Ravagers are justicars who have chosen not to alter how their curse works, but to instead perfect their mix of martial and arcane practices with their brand.

### Brandshaper Spells

You gain brandshaper spells at the justicar levels listed. You also learn the booming blade cantrip.

Arcane Ravager Spells

### Ravager's Curse

Also at 3rd level, your curse adapts, granting your brand a new affliction. Branded creatures have disadvantage on saving throws made against the first spell you cast in a turn.

### Brand Infusion

Starting at 6th level, the magic of your brand resonates through your weapon. Whenever you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, if that creature is branded, you can use a bonus action to roll one of your brand die to deal additional force damage to the target without consuming the brand.

### Arcane Dominion

At 10th level, the curse of your brand reacts violently to its host when your spellcasting is interrupted, allowing you to better maintain your composure. If an attack made by the target of your brand forces you to make a Constitution saving throw made to maintain concentration on a spell, you add your Intelligence bonus to the roll.

Once you use this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

### Curse of the Weave

Beginning at 14th level, you've mastered the art of returning the magic of your brands to your body. When you drop a branded creature to 0 hit points with a melee weapon attack, you can use a bonus action to regain one of your justicar spell slots.

You can use this feature a number of times per long rest equal to your Intelligence modifier.

## Blackguard

Blackguards are powerful justicars who have turned to the dark arts to become stronger. These once noble warriors now infuse their body and soul with vile energies that change their brand into grotesque mutations, granting them immense power.

### Brandshaper Spells

You gain brandshaper spells at the justicar levels listed. You also learn the chill touch cantrip.

Brandshaper Spells

### Blackguard's Curse

Also at 3rd level, you discover the benefits of branding yourself. With this knowledge, you alter the curse to temporarily mutate your body to suit your own needs. When choosing a target for your brand, you can choose to brand yourself instead of another creature.

Whenever you curse yourself with your brand, pick one option from the Mutations listed below. While you are branded, you gain the benefits of the chosen mutation and suffer none of your brand's usual debilitating afflictions. When the curse ends, the mutation is reabsorbed back into your body. You can choose a different mutation each time you curse yourself with your brand.

### Mutations

The mutations are presented in alphabetical order.

* **Carapace.** Your skin hardens, granting you some protection from enemy attacks. Your AC increases by 1.
* **Claws.** Your fingers grows in to sharp claws that can be used as weapons or to climb vertical surfaces. Your unarmed strikes now deals 1d6 + your strength modifier slashing damage, and you have a climb speed equal to your walking speed.
* **Gills.** Shallow slits form along your neck, allowing you aquatic adaptability. You gain a swim speed equal to your walking speed, and you can breathe underwater.
* **Ethereal Sight.** Your eyes form twisted visages to allow you better vision. You gain darkvision out to a range of 60 feet, and can see in magical darkness as though it were dim light. If you already have darkvision from your race, its range increases by 30 feet.
* **Reflexes.** Your perception enhances and your body reacts quicker. When you make a melee weapon attack against a creature, you don't provoke opportunity attacks from that creature for the rest of the turn, whether you hit or not.
* **Tendrils.** Your arms become more akin to tentacles, able to stretch and twist. Your reach increases by 5 feet.
* **Wings.** You sprout massive leathery wings, allowing you to take to the skies. You gain a fly speed equal to your walking speed. 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.

### Arcane Necrosis

Starting at 6th level, you can channel the necrotic energies of your brand through your weapon. Whenever you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, if you or that creature are branded, you can use a bonus action to roll one of your brand die to deal additional necrotic damage to the target without consuming the brand. This damage bypasses resistances and immunities to necrotic damage.

### Harvest Essence

At 10th level, you can use your brand to siphon the energy it has stored in order to stave off death. Whenever you drop to 0 hit points for the first time in a turn, if you are branded, you can consume your brand. When you do, roll one of your brand die and regain that many hit points.

Additionally, if you have the ability to place multiple brands at once, you can consume the brand of a creature within 30 feet of you to gain double the number of hit points.

Once you've used this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

### Permanent Mutation

Beginning at 14th level, you understand how to fuse your brand's magic into yourself. You can spend 1 minute permanently mutating your body with the magic of your brand.

Once this ritual is completed, you are always considered branded.

When you complete the ritual, choose two mutations instead of one. The chosen mutations become one with your body, granting you their benefits permanently.

Mutating your body with this feature does not count against the maximum number of brands you can have active at once, but it does not allow you curse yourself with a brand again.

Additionally, your harvest essence feature no longer requires you to consume your brand in order to function, but can still only be used once per long rest.

## Forerunner

Forerunners are justicars who have studied the oldest of elemental magics, absorbing primordial energies of the world's first days in order to harvest and use pure elemental power.

### Elemental Attunement

Beginning at 3rd level, your magic takes on an element that fuels your magic. Choose from Air, Earth, Fire, or Water. Your chosen element determines several aspects of this archetype, including changing the damage type of your brand, what bonus spells you receive, as well as how your features work.

Brand Attunement
 Earth
 Fire
 Water

### Brandshaper Spells

You gain brandshaper spells at the justicar levels listed, what spells you learn is determined by the element you are attuned to. You also learn the the associated cantrip.

Forerunner Air Spells

Forerunner Earth Spells

Forerunner Fire Spells

Forerunner Water Spells

### Forerunner's Curse

Also at 3rd level your attunement to the elements alters how your curse functions when you consume a brand with your arcane detonation feature.

**Air.** When you use your arcane detonation feature on a branded creature, a wild twister swirls around them during the detonation. A friendly creature of your choice within 5 feet of the target can use its reaction to move up to half their speed without provoking an attack of opportunity from the target.

**Earth.** When you use your arcane detonation feature on a branded creature, the ground beneath them erupts causing them to focus on their position and their footing. Until the beginning of your next turn, the target has disadvantage on ability checks.

**Fire.** When you use your arcane detonation feature on a branded creature, the creature is bathed in searing light. The target is blinded until the end of your next turn.

**Water.** When you use your arcane detonation feature on a branded creature, a layer of frost coats their body. Until the end of your next turn, the target cannot take the dash, dodge, or disengage actions.

### Primordial Hex

At 6th level the primordial power within you seeps into your spells. When you cast the cantrip granted by your expanded spells feature targeting a branded creature, you can use a bonus action to roll one of your brand die to deal additional damage to the target without consuming the brand. The damage type is determined by your elemental attunement.

### Mold Elements

Beginning at 10th level, you can consume a brand to fill a creature with primordial energy in order to substantially weaken it. As an action you can consume a brand on a creature you have cursed with it. That creature gains vulnerability to the damage type of chosen elemental attunement for 1 minute. If the creature is immune to thedamage type, it loses the immunity and gains resistance to the damage type instead. If the creature is resistant to the damage type, it loses its resistance instead.

Once you've used this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

### Primordial Detonation

Starting at 14th level, the primordial energy of your spells overloads your brands. Whenever a branded creature is hit by a spell attack you cast, or fails a saving throw against a spell you cast, you can detonate that brand with your arcane detonation feature without consuming a spell slot. The number of brand die for this detonation is equal to half the level of the spell you cast (minimum 1st-level).

## Hierophant

Hierophants are righteous justicars who have learned to use semi-divine power to turn their brand from a curse into a blessing.

### Expanded Spells

You gain brandshaper spells at the justicar levels listed. You also learn the sacred flame cantrip.

Hierophant Spells

### Hierophant's Glyph

At 3rd level your training has fundamentally altered your brand. It has gone from a cursed brand to a enchanted glyph of restorative magic. Your brand is now a glyph, and afflictions are now blessings. This transformation radically alters several features of the justicar class, detailed below.

With your glyph, you lose access to your afflictions. Instead, at the beginning of the enchanted creature's turn, if they have no temporary hit points, they gain temporary hit points equal to your level + your intelligence modifier. These temporary hit points last for 1 minute.

This transformation alters features of the justicar class, detailed below.

* **Arcane Detonation.** You deal no damage when you detonate your glyphs. As an action, you can consume your glyph and expend one justicar spell slot to heal the target that is missing hit points. The amount healed is 1d6 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d6 for each spell level higher than 1st, up to maximum of 5d6.

This healing increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Justicar class table.

* **Curse Jumper.** When a friendly creature drops below half its hit point maximum, you can use your bonus action on a subsequent turn to move the glyph from its current target to the specified creature. The new target automatically gains half of the temporary hit points granted by your Hierophant's Glyph.

### Radiant Protector

Starting at 6th level, you can channel the power of your glyph through the weapon of those it enchants. Whenever an enchanted creature hits a target with a melee weapon attack, as a reaction you can roll one of your brand die to deal additional radiant damage to the target without consuming the brand.

### Hierophant's Grace

At 10th level, you can use your glyph's restorative power to stave off death. Whenever a creature within 30 feet of you enchanted by your glyph drops to 0 hit points for the first time in a turn, you can use your reaction to consume the glyph.

When you do, roll one of your brand die. The creature regains that many hit points plus your intelligence modifier.

Once you've used this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

### Armor of Enchantment

Beginning at 14th level, your glyphs armor those they protect. While a creature is enchanted with a glyph, it has resistance to nonmagical slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning damage.

## Runebinder

Runebinders are justicars who use their curse to bind their enemies abilities to themselves. They are masters of manipulation and savvy arcane thieves.

### Bonus Proficiencies

Beginning at 3rd level, your training as runebinder grants you proficiency with the forgery kit.

### Expanded Spells

You gain brandshaper spells at the justicar levels listed. You also learn the minor illusion cantrip.

Runebinder Spells

### Runebinder's Curse

At 3rd level, your brand siphons the knowledge and power from your enemies and grants it to you. As an action you can learn what skills a branded creature is proficient in, if any.

If you are not already proficient in one of those skills, you may choose to temporarily gain proficiency in one of them for 8 hours. If you are proficient in one of them, you can choose to gain expertise in that skill for 8 hours instead.

This feature does not work with other player characters.

### Combatant's Hex

At 6th level the magic of your brand enchants your weapon with that of your enemy. As an action, you can make a Wisdom (Perception) check to try and learn the damage dice of oneattack made by a branded creature. The DC for this check is equal to the creature's CR.

On a success, the brand infuses a melee weapon you are wielding with the same power. Until the end of your next turn, your weapon's damage dice change to the same as the learned attack.

### Arcane Mimic

Starting at 10th level feature, your brand harnesses a creature's natural capabilities and passes them on to you. As an action, you learn one of the branded creature's senses, languages or any special traits they may have, such as a wolf's pack tactics. The DM determines what you discover. Once learned, you can consume your brand on that creature to gainthe learned trait for 1 hour.

In order to use a creature's special trait, you must be able to perform the actions required. For instance, a character without a fly speed cannot use a Giant Owl's flyby trait, where as a character with a fly speed could.

Once you've used this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

### Spell Siphon

Beginning at 14th level, your curse is capable of copying the spells of those its brands. Whenever a branded creature casts a spell, you know the name of the spell and its school of magic.

As a reaction to a spell being cast by a branded creature, you can consume the brand to replace one of your spells known with the spell cast by the branded creature. The copied spell must be of a spell level you can cast and must replace a spell of the same level. The copied spell lasts until you finish a long rest, the magic then fades away and the spell you chose to replace returns to your spell list.

If the spell copied is from the justicar spell list, you can make an Arcana check with a DC equal to 10 + the spell's level. On a success, you may permanently use the copied spell at the cost of losing the spell you replaced it with.

Once you've used this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

## Thaumaturgist

Thaumaturgists are justicars who are in tune with the flow of the natural world. They have transformed their curse into a runic totem that expands its influence over the battlefield. In the same vein, the Thaumaturgist uses this magic to summon both living creatures and spiritual entities.

### Expanded Spells

You gain brandshaper spells at the justicar levels listed. You also learn the infestation cantrip.

Thaumaturgist Spells

### Thaumaturgist's Totem

At 3rd level, you have used the magic of the world to shift your curse into a physical object known as a totem. As a bonus action you place the totem in an unoccupied space within 60 feet of you. The totem is considered a medium size object with an AC of 10 + proficiency bonus + Intelligence modifier and has hit points equal to twice your justicar level + your Intelligence modifier. The totem is immune to all conditions, poison damage, psychic damage, and has resistance to all other damage types. Since the totem is now a physical object in the world, it is now visible for all to see.

When you place the totem, it creates an aura that is a 15-foot radius sphere centered on it. Whenever a creature enters the aura, or starts its turn there, you can choose to force it to make a Constitution saving throw equal to your spell save DC.

On a failure, the creature suffers all afflictions your brand would normally bestow upon it. At the end of each of the afflicted creature's subsequent turns, it can make the save again, ending the effect on a success.

On a successful save, the creature is immune to the totem's afflictions for as long as it remains in the aura. If the creature leaves the aura and later enters it again, it must make the save again. If a creature succeeds on the saving throw by 5 or more, it is immune to the totem's afflictions for 24 hours.

When a creature leaves the totem's aura, it automatically loses all afflictions.

The totem alters how several of your justicar class features work, detailed below.

* **Arcane Detonation.** When you choose to detonate a totem, it explodes as a normal brand would. However when it does, each creature within the totem's aura must make a Dexterity saving throw equal to your spell save DC. Creatures that fail this saving throw take the damage as they would normally with this feature.
* **Curse Jumper.** While there are no creatures within the aura of your totem, you can use your bonus action to teleport the totem within 5 feet of a hostile creature.
* **Cursebinder.** You gain one additional totem, but do not get more at higher levels.

### Totemic Infusion

Starting at 6th level, your totem empowers you and your allies strikes. Whenever a friendly creature hits a hostile creature with a melee weapon attack, if the target is within the totem's aura, you can use your reaction to roll one of your brand die to deal additional force damage to the target without consuming the totem.

### Invigorating Detonation

At 10th level you can use your totem's life energy to invigorate your allies. As an action you can consume your totem, granting all friendly creatures within its aura advantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws until the end of your next turn. If you have multiple allies in different totem auras, you may consume those totems as well.

Once you've used this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

### Totem Master

Beginning at 14th level, your totem strengthens with your connection to the world. Your totem's aura increases to a 30-foot radius sphere, and its hit points are equal to three times your justicar level + twice your Intelligence modifier.

# Multiclassing

* **Prerequisites.** To qualify for multiclassing into the justicar class, you must met these prerequisites: Strength 13 and Intelligence 13.
* **Proficiencies.** When you multiclass into the justicar class, you gain the following proficiencies: Light armor and simple weapons.