Weaver

A woman clad in open-backed robes approaches a group of back-alley ruffians seemingly empty handed. As she silently approaches, a bandit lets fly an arrow aimed at her head, only for her to bring up a buckler to block the attack, the buckler vanishing almost as quickly as it appeared. She extends her hands, bringing forth a fiery serpent to devour the group. Weavers such as these make use of the weave through a mixture of personal knowledge and inherent ability. The markings on their arms, legs, and back act as conduits for their abilities, as well as ports for their adversaries’ skills to be funneled into their own skill sets. Weavers learn various spells by carefully observing their enemies, then stealing a remnant of the weave that was used by them to power their own, nearly identical magic.

#### ***Glyphic Numbing***

Weavers tend to have permanent psychological damage due to the strain that “marking” (the process in which Weavers gain the ability to steal/use Glyphs) incurs on the user. This damage typically manifests in the form of permanent apathy, ranging from mild to a near-emotionless state. Because of this, Weavers tend to not strongly lean towards Evil and Good alignments. This minor disconnection is typically reflected in their personalities. (Note that this doesn't prevent Weavers from being Good or Evil, but it's unusual to see one acting extremely zealous in either direction.)

#### ***Select*, *Secluded Students***

**The entirety of Weavers are humans**, due to an unexplored element of the arcane that seems to be tied to the concept of humanity. The majority of Weavers are erudite, having been raised with rigorous training in secluded monasteries, abbeys, or similar schools. Due to their training, rigorous study, tendency to hoard information, and inherent combative prowess, Weavers are commonly found pursuing the adventuring or monster-hunting lifestyle, albeit with more focus and purpose. Though a large amount of their casting ability is inherent, children of Weavers are not necessarily more or less inclined to be good at their unique brand of spelltheft, and the majority of 'new' Weavers are orphans brought in by the benefactor(s) facilitating one of the few monasteries where they can be found. There are about 200 Weavers in the world at a given time, with the vast majority of them at least loosely tied to the Old Veins.

### **Creating a Weaver**

As you build your Weaver, think about what kind of environment they were trained in. Weavers are a rare sight, but there's nothing stopping a large school of them from existing somewhere in the world. Seclusion is a major part of each Weaver’s early life, living and interacting solely with their mentor and possible peers, and when coupled with their emotional blunting this lifestyle can lead to particularly melancholic people. Some Weavers might even run away from home to pursue a method of getting their full personality back. Though Charisma is a main statistic focus for Weavers, they typically won’t be seen performing, acting flirtatious, or any other outgoing elements that having a high Charisma stat would usually lead to. Finally, think about how or why your Weaver left their formal training. Many are sent out to pursue higher knowledge in the outside world, whereas others simply ran away from their monastery, either out of personal interest or present danger. Mentors have various motives, and the Weaver student won’t always have the same ideas in mind.

#### **Quick Build**

You can make a Weaver quickly by following these suggestions. First, put your highest ability scores in Charisma and Intelligence, followed by Dexterity. Then, choose the Acolyte background, making modifications as you (and your DM) see fit.

### **Class Features**

**- Hit Dice:** 1d8 per Weaver level

**- Hit Points at 1st Level:** 8 + your Constitution modifier

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

#### *Proficiencies*

**- Armor:** Light

**- Weapons:** Markings, Simple

- **Tools:** A set of Artisan's Tools

**Saving Throws:** Charisma, Intelligence

**Skills:** Choose three from Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, Arcana, Investigation, Insight, History, Religion, Perception, Deception, and Intimidation.

#### *Equipment*

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

*- (a) A set of clothing, usually marked with the crest of your monastery*

*- (a) A shortsword or (b) two daggers*

*- (a) A Dungeoneer's pack or (b) an Explorer's Pack*

*- A memento from your place of education*

#### *Spellcasting Ability*

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your Weaver spells. You use your Charisma modifier whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Weaver 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*

#### *Ability Score Improvement*

When you reach 4th level (and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level), you can:

- a) Increase one ability score by 2.

- b) Increase two ability scores by 1.

- c) Gain a feat of your choice.

### **Markings**

At 1st level, you are able to choose a weapon that your markings are attuned to, from the options listed on the following table. You gain an additional Marking option at 3th, 7th, 11th, 15th, and 19th level.

 Secare
 Midio
 Falcis
 Culter
 Arcus

A known Marking must be bound to one or both hands over 1 minute. This bound Marking weapon can be summoned or unsummoned from that hand freely. The borderline-ephemeral weapon cannot be wielded by anybody but the Weaver that summoned it, even other Weavers. You cannot be disarmed of a Marking weapon, and they melt into arcane energy if they leave your hands.

You gain one additional Marking each time you gain an Ability Score Improvement. You are proficient with all weapon types that are available as Markings to you.

If you find a magic weapon with the same (or similar, determined by your DM) weapon type as a known Marking, you can make that weapon bound to that specific Marking over the course of 1 hour. You can only have one weapon bound in this way per hand. Regardless of whether the original item required an attunement slot, weapons bound in this way require an attunement slot while bound. If you die, your bound weapons appear near your corpse. In addition, for the sake of spell effects such as *Elemental Weapon,* Marking weapons that are not bound magical weapons count as non-magical weapons.

#### **Absorption**

At 2nd level as a Weaver, you can tap into the strands of the weave that your adversaries meld to fuel their magic. As a reaction to a spell cast following these prerequisites, you can attempt to absorb the strand of weave used to create said spell and add it to your own repertoire:

* *The spell is from the Wizard, Sorcerer, Ranger, Druid, Warlock, or Bard spell list.*
* *The spell does not directly heal a target (spells such as Vampiric Touch are okay).*
* *The spell was cast within 60 feet of you and you avoided or weren't targeted by it.*

 Make an Arcana check with a DC of 10 + the target spell's level. On a success, the target spell is added to your repertoire as what is known as a Glyph. The maximum spell level that you can absorb from increases along with your Weaver level, as shown in the Weaver table. You can replace an already known Glyph on the absorption of a new one. Spells with a material cost that states a specific Gold value still require said components to cast.

* Max Glyphs Known: *your Intelligence modifier + your Proficiency Bonus.*

Over the course of 1 hour per spell level, you can absorb a spell from a scroll that follows the aforementioned prerequisites and add it to your repertoire. This renders the scroll inert. You can only absorb spells from scrolls that are a level equal to or lower than your Max Spell Level, as shown on the Weaver leveling table.

Certain bonuses to spells, such as Eldritch Incantations adding knockback to Eldritch Blast or Draconic Bloodline Sorcerers adding additional damage to their element-specific spells, are not absorbed.

At the DM's discretion, an attack from a monster that isn't explicitly stated as a spell may be absorbable as a Glyph of a similar spell, such as Misty Step from a Blink Dog's teleport.

#### **Glyph Points**

At 2nd level, you gain the use of Glyph Points. To cast Glyphs, you must expend Glyph Points (GP). Half of your GP (rounded down) is recovered on a short rest, while all is restored on a long rest. One GP is restored upon:

- a) Landing a critical hit with a Marking or Glyph

- b) Killing an enemy with a Marking or Glyph

***Glyph Point Max:** twice your Intelligence modifier + the bonus amount given by your level as a Weaver.*

 GP Cost

#### **Studies**

At 2nd level, choose two cantrips from the Wizard or Sorcerer spell list. You know these cantrips as Glyphs. These do not count towards your Glyph maximum, and can’t be replaced like normal Glyphs would. You gain an additional spell of a level equal or lesser to your Maximum Spell Level in this manner each time you gain an Ability Score Improvement.

#### **Esoteric Markings**

At 3rd level, you gain one Esoteric Marking from the following list. Esoteric Markings are bound and unbound to a hand in the same way as normal Markings and use your Charisma modifier to determine attack and damage bonuses. Unless stated otherwise, each Esoteric Marking requires an action to use, but you can attack with an off-hand normal bound Marking with the Light property as a bonus action immediately after using an Esoteric Marking with a cast time of an action, with standard Two-Weapon Fighting rules.

You gain an additional Esoteric Marking, and you can choose one of the Esoteric Markings you know and replace it another, at 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, 18th level.

Esoteric Markings, if applicable, gain one die of damage or healing at 5th, 11th, and 16th level.

#### **Extra Attack**

At 5th level, you gain the ability to attack twice whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

### **Glyph Sleeve**

At 5th level, you can have up to three Markings bound to each hand.

#### **Arcane Empowerment**

Starting at 6th level, your Markings now count as being magical for the sake of overcoming damage immunity.

#### **Brute Casting**

At 9th level, you gain the ability to use two Glyph Points to perform one of the following abilities, up to once per turn:

* **Pulsus:** As an action, send forth a wave of raw force in an attempt to knock an enemy back 10 feet and prone, contesting their Strength (Athletics) check with your spell save DC. If they are hit and succeed the saving throw, they are knocked back 5 feet. Can only be used on enemies up to one size larger than you.

* **Laruam:** As a bonus action, send forth a bolt of raw force that lingers around you for 1 minute, automatically attacking the first target within 120 feet that successfully hits you with an attack. Deals 3d6 Force damage on hit. Uses *Magic Missile* rules for the purposes of blocking.

* **Adicaere:** As an action, attack with an unarmed strike imbued with raw arcane energy, dealing 3d10 Force damage on hit. Can be cast with two additional Glyph Points to deal an additional 1d10 Force damage, up to 6d10. This ability can be used while under the effects of an antimagic spell.

#### **Back Glyphs**

At 10th level, you gain the ability to use two of the following specialized Glyphs retained in markings on your back instead of your arms and legs. These Glyphs are cast as bonus actions. Only one Glyph from this list can be active at a given time. You gain an additional Back Glyph at 13th, 16th, and 19th level.

* **Tenebralas**: For four GP, sprout wings, granting you a flying speed equal to your ground speed for up to 10 minutes.
* **Vicis:** For two GP, Wild Shape into a Cat. For four GP, Wild Shape into a Wolf. For six GP, Wild Shape into a Bat. Each shift lasts up to 1 hour.

* **Magnes**: Consumes one GP, creates a magnetic field around you for up to 1 minute, allowing you to attract yourself to a metallic object or surface within 15 feet and/or move across magnetic surfaces at half speed.
* **Vis Fio:** Consumes two GP, grants proficiency in Strength saving throws for 1 hour.
* **Fortis Fio:** Consumes two GP, grants proficiency in Constitution saving throws for 1 hour.
* **Fides Fio:** Consumes two GP, grants proficiency in Wisdom saving throws for 1 hour.

### **Combative Step**

At 11th level, your ground speed is increased by 10 feet while you have a Marking summoned. You don’t provoke opportunity attacks from creatures you attempt to attack with Markings, regardless of whether you hit or miss. In addition, you gain proficiency in Dexterity saving throws.

### **Arcane Resistance**

Beginning at 14th level, you can undo the effects of a d20 roll that wound up being 9 or less, bringing it up to a natural 10. You can use this ability once per short rest.

#### **Glyphic Resistance**

At 15th level, you gain advantage on saving throws against spells that you know at the time of casting as Glyphs.

#### **Glyphbound**

At 18th level, your hit point maximum cannot be reduced by effects such as a Wraith's *Life Drain* ability. In addition, instant-death spells such as *Power Word: Kill* reduce you to 0 hit points instead of killing you immediately.

#### **Rapid Restoration**

At 20th level, all Glyph Points are restored on a short rest.