The Afflicted (5e Class)

*The Afflicted Class is a work-in-progress original class for D&D 5th Edition by Michael Hall. I will soon be running one-shots to test the class out.*

The Afflicted are considered both the unluckiest and luckiest in society. Unable to feel any pain but the dull ache that tears at them from within, they are given the gift of true empathy with those who are suffering through their use of psychic means. There are two kinds of Afflicted; those who were touched by The Black Whisper and survived, with their contorted, rotten bodies destined to live the rest of their short lives ostracized from society, and the few who's sheer psychic will kept their bodies intact, but taking a toll on their mind.

## Basic Features

### Hit Points:

* Hit Dice: 1d6 per Afflicted Level.
* Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution Modifier.
* Hit Points at High Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution Modifier per Afflicted Level after 1st.

### Proficiencies:

* Armor: Light Armor
* Weapons: Simple Weapons, Light Crossbows
* Tools: None
* Saving Throws: Wisdom, Intelligence
* Choose two from Arcana, History, Insight, Intimidation, Persuasion, Religion, and Stealth.

### Equipment:

* (a) a staff, or (b) any simple weapon
* (a) a handaxe, or (b) a light crossbow with 20 bolts.
* (a) an explorer's pack

Alternatively, you can ignore the equipment from your class and background, and start with 2d4 x 10 gp.

### Psionic Casting:

The Afflicted uses its WIS modifier for any ranged or melee attacks it makes.

The Afflicted's Spell Save DC is 8 + WIS mod + Proficiency Mod.

### Spirit Sap:

From 1st level, the Afflicted can begin to learn to harness the power of life and death.On their turn as an action, the Afflicted can drain the soul essence of a humanoid or creature of over CR 2 within 5ft by touching them. Make a melee attack using your Wisdom Modifier. On a hit, you can do one of the following:

* Drain Soul: Touch. Deal 1d8 psychic damage. The enemy must pass a Wisdom Saving Throw or be paralyzed until the end of their next turn.
* Siphon Life: Deal 1d8 psychic damage. Gain damage dealt back as hit points.
* Regain Psi: Regain maximum Psi points.
* Spirit Blast: Fire a beam of kinetic energy up to 80ft. On a hit, it deals 1d8 force damage.

If an enemy is freshly slain or unconscious at 0 HP, you can drain their soul essence without an attack. If they weren't dead before, this kills the creature.

The Spirit Sap die improves from 1d8 to 2d8 at level 5, 3d8 at level 9, 3d10 at level 14, and 3d12 at level 19.

### Dark Intuition:

On your turn, you can sense the darkest secrets of an enemy as an action, rendering them vulnerable to your Psionic Abilities for 1 minute. A creature can attempt to remove the influence as a bonus action by passing a Wisdom Saving Throw (DC 8+WIS Mod + Prof) at the end of their turn.

You gain advantage on Intimidation and Persuasion checks to a creature afflicted with Dark Intuition that you are not currently fighting.

After the Afflicted gains Psionics at level 2, any critical hit on an enemy afflicted with Dark Intuition regains one psi point up to the maximum.

### Dulled Senses:

The Afflicted is constantly suffering both physically and mentally. This lessens any pain caused by psychic means.

The Afflicted's base AC is 12 + Wis modifier.

The Afflicted is resistant to psychic damage.

Due to their distractions, the Afflicted has disadvantage on perception checks and their passive perception takes a -5 penalty.

### Psionics:

At 2nd level, the Afflicted gains the use of Psionic abilities. As a bonus action on your turn, you can use up to 2 Psi Points to create the following effects on a creature or object:

* Destroy Mind: Make a ranged Psionic attack. On a hit, the enemy takes 2d6 + WIS MOD psychic damage. If they are afflicted with Dark Intuition, they take an extra 2d6 necrotic damage.
* Telekinesis: You can spend one psi point per 100 lbs to lift and carry an object for 1 minute (Concentration).

Each effect can only be used once per turn.

The Psi Points increase to 3 at 5th level, 4 at 9th level, and 5 at 14th level. The Afflicted regains its spent Psi Points on a long rest.

### Eldritch Dreams:

At 11th level, the terrifying nature of the origin of The Black Whisper begins to dawn on the Afflicted. The Afflicted can communicate telepathically with Mind Flayers, Elder Brains, and has advantage on Intelligence and Wisdom Saving Throws.

Once per day, the Afflicted can attempt to read the meaning of the fevered nightmares they have suffered from, and on a successful DC15 Intelligence check they can add an extra d6 to their abilities or saving throws until the next long rest.

### Shadow Form:

At 15th level, the Afflicted can enter their Shadow Form as a bonus action. They become invisible in darkness to all creatures, and can merge into shadows themselves for up to 24 hours, being able to continue moving as long as shadows touch. If the Afflicted makes an action while in Shadow Form except to move, they drop out of it.

### Terrifying Presence:

At 18th level, the Afflicted carries an aura of sheer terror wherever they go. Any hostile creature within 30 feet of the Afflicted must pass a Wisdom Saving Throw or be frightened. Frightened creatures can attempt a new saving throw at the end of their turn. If the saving throw is passed successfully, they become immune to the effects of Terrifying Presence for 24 hours.

### Mind Sear:

At 20th level, the Afflicted can gamble their life to attempt to break the will of a creature. Once per long rest, the Afflicted can inflict up to 20d10 damage to themselves to create a chance to irreversibly destroy a creature's mind. Roll a percentile dice. On 1d10, the chance is 5%, on 2d10 the chance is 10%, up to 100%. If the roll succeeds, the creature dies instantly. This effect does not work on creatures with Legendary Resistances.

## Psychic Path

At 3rd level the Afflicted can choose one of two pathways to follow; The Farseer, a pathway dedicated to discovering the causes of The Black Whisper and ways of defeating it, and The Plaguebearer, a pathway dedicated to spreading disease and pestilence.

## Farseer:

### Psionic Additions

At 3rd level, the Farseer gains two new Psionic Effects from the following list:

* Spread Dark Intuition: You can spend a Psi Point to spread Dark Intuition to any units of your choice within a 20ft radius of a unit already afflicted by it.
* Weaken: An enemy makes a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, they become vulnerable to a damage type of your choice until the end of their next turn. The saving throw for Dark Intuition is 8 + your WIS MOD + your proficiency bonus.
* Inflict Pain: You send out a wave of psychic energy 60 feet around you. Any creatures within the wave who are afflicted with Dark Intuition take 1d8 + WIS MOD psychic damage.
* Create Shield: You can spend a psi point to gain 10 temporary hitpoints and +5 AC until the end of your next turn.
* Unstable Affliction: A target of your choice within 60ft has their Dark Intuition transformed into Unstable Affliction. Unstable Affliction deals 1d4 damage at the start of the target's turn. Spread Dark Intuition can also spread Unstable Affliction in the same way.
* Seed of Corruption (Concentration): A creature that is afflicted with Dark Intuition is implanted with a Seed of Corruption. A seed of Corruption adds 2d6 potential force damage at the end of the creature's turn, until it is either released by the Farseer or concentration is broken. The creature can use their action to attempt to remove the seed by succeeding on a Strength Saving Throw.

 The Farseer gains another from the list at 6th level, 10th level, 14th level, and 17th level.

### Intermittent Paroxysm:

At 6th level, crackling psychic energy surrounds the Farseer. Every time a creature makes an attack within 5ft of the Farseer, roll a d20. On a 19 or 20, the creature is lashed by pure white beams of light, forcing them to make a Strength Saving Throw (DC 15). On a failure they are knocked prone and their attack fails.

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