Researcher (archived)

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Classes→ Researcher

Table: The Researcher

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Cantrips Known	Powered Spells Known	Magic Limit
1st	+2	Magic Meter, Spellcasting, Wise Defense	2	2	2
2nd	+2	School of Research	3	6	2
3rd	+2	—	4	7	3
4th	+2	Improvement	4	9	4
5th	+3	—	4	10	5
6th	+3	School feature	4	12	5
7th	+3	Studied Skill	4	13	6
8th	+3	Improvement	5	15	6
9th	+4	—	5	16	7
10th	+4	School feature	5	18	8
11th	+4	—	5	19	9
12th	+4	Improvement	5	21	9
13th	+5	Magic Sense	5	22	10
14th	+5	School feature	5	24	10
15th	+5	Spell Resistance	5	25	11
16th	+5	Improvement	5	26	11
17th	+6	—	5	28	12
18th	+6	School feature	5	29	13
19th	+6	Improvement	5	31	14
20th	+6	School feature	5	33	14

Starting equipment

This page or section is incomplete, and will eventually be expanded with more information.

Hearts

Each level you gain in this class grants you a Heart Container (or a "Hit Die"), which is a d6. Heart Containers are used primarily during short rests to recover heart points.

If your first class level is gained as a researcher, your maximum heart points increases by 6 + your Constitution modifier.

Anytime you otherwise gain a level in this class, you roll d6 (or take the median of 4), then add your Constitution modifier to that number. Your maximimum heart points increases by an amount equal to the result.

If your Constitution modifier later increases, your maximum heart points will retroactively increase.

Proficiencies

If researcher is your first class, you have proficiency with the following.

Armor: None

Weapons: Rods, clubs, daggers, darts, staves, and slingshots

Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom

Skills: Arcana

Multiclass Proficiencies

If researcher is not your first class (see multiclassing), you instead only gain proficiency with rods. You do not gain any proficiency points from researcher if it is not your first class.

Proficiency Points

Option: Skills & Backgrounds

Proficiency points are meant to replace the skill proficiencies and backgrounds used by official D&D classes. If it is your DM's preference, you are instead proficient in two skills of your choice from Animal Handling, History, Insight, Medicine, Nature, Performance, Persuasion, and Religion. These proficiencies are in addition to the Arcana skill and any proficiencies from your background.

If your first class level is gained as a researcher, you have a number of proficiency points equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier. If your Intelligence modifier permanently increases, so too do your number of proficiency points. During character creation or during downtime, you can expend proficiency points to become proficient.

• You can invest 1 point to become proficient with any artisan's tool, any musical instrument, water vehicles, land vehicles, or any language.
• You can invest 2 points to become proficient with any professional tool or in any skill from Animal Handling, History, Medicine, Nature, and Religion.
• You can invest 3 points to become proficient in any other skill.

This feature assumes you do not have a background. If you do have a background, your number of proficiency points is reduced by 6, to a minimum of 0.

If you multiclass into researcher, you do not gain this feature. You only gain proficiency points from your first class.

Retraining

Heroes don't always retain their skills forever.  Sometimes old methods are forgotten in favor of new lessons.  Each time you gain a level in any class, you can forget up to 3 proficiency points' worth of items you gained with this feature.  Doing so lets you regain the points you invested.  You can then invest these points into any other items in accordance with this feature, or save them to be assigned at later levels.

If you multiclass, you can only re-invest points in accordance with your first class.

Magic Meter

Option: Spell Slots

Magic points and magic limit are meant to replace the spell slots and levels used by official D&D classes. If it is your DM's preference, you instead have the spellcasting feature of the wizard class and have no magic points. You still retain the spell list available to researcher and your chosen School of Research.

At 1st level, you gain a number of magic points equal to your Intelligence modifier. If your Intelligence later increases, so too does your number of stamina points. Each level you gain in this class after the first, you gain more magic points as determined by your School of Research.

Your magic points are expended primarily in spellcasting. Normally any magic points you've expended are fully replenished when you finish a long rest. Some features and magic items can otherwise restore magic points.

Spellcasting

As one who investigates and studies magic, you recite incantations and manipulate material components in ways that require extensive, mentally-demanding practice and memorization.

Magic Limit

To cast a spell, you must expend a number of magic points as determined by the spell.

You can cast a spell up to but not exceeding your "magic limit." Your magic limit defines the most many magic points you can expend when you cast a spell. Your magic limit is initially 2. This limit increases by 1 at every odd-numbered researcher level thereafter, at 4th level, at 10th level, and at 18th level. See the researcher table.

If you have levels in multiple spellcasting classes, your magic limit may be different, as described under multiclassing.

Spellcasting Ability

Intelligence is your casting ability for researcher spells, since you learn your spells through dedicated study and memorization. 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 spell learned through this class and when making an attack roll with one.

Your spell saving throw DC is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier.

When you make a spell attack roll, you roll a d20 and add both your proficiency bonus and your Intelligence modifier.

Cantrips

You initially know two cantrips (or "unpowered spells") of your choice from the following list:

Name	MP	Lv	School	Summary
Air Slash	0		transmutation	You form a blade of air to strike a distant creature. If the target is airborne, you have advantage on the attack roll.
Blast Bolt	0		evocation	You detonate volatile energy with a melee spell attack. If your attack misses, you take damage and are pushed back.
Candle	0		evocation	Create a five-foot sphere of flame which lingers for a minute, damaging creatures it touches.
Cryonis	0		evocation	Upon a relatively flat plane of liquid water at least five by five feet, you create a pillar of magic ice.
Light	0		evocation	You touch one object, causing it to shed bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet
Mending	0		transmutation	This spell repairs a single break or tear in an object you touch.
Minor Illusion	0		illusion	You create a sound or an image of an object (not a creature) within range that lasts for 1 minute.
Prestidigitation	0		transmutation	You create one of several minor magical effects.
Ray of Radiance	0		evocation	You hurl a ball of light, dealing radiant damage and briefly illuminating the target.
Razor Tome	0		transmutation	Razor-sharp parchment flies out to slash one or more nearby creatures.
Sage Hand	0		conjuration	Conjure a translucent, floating hand that can manipulate objects at range.
Sandcast	0		evocation	You hurl a swirling mass of sand at a creature to deal damage. A hit creature is damaged and suffers disadvantage on a Wisdom (Perception) checks or ranged attack roll.
Shocking Grasp	0		evocation	Lightning springs from your hand to deliver a shock to a creature you try to touch.
Touch Wind	0		transmutation	You seize the air and compel it to create one of several minor effects.

Any cantrips you learn after 1st level can be drawn from the expanded spell list you gain from your School of Research. You learn your third cantrip at 2nd level, your fourth cantrip at 4th level, and your fifth cantrip at 8th level.

At every odd-numbered level you gain in this class, you can replace one cantrip you've learned from this class with another from your researcher spell list.

Powered Spells Known

At 1st level, you know two 2-point spells from the following list:

Name	MP	Lv	School	Summary
Detect Magic	2	1st	divination	Sense the presence of magic within 30 feet of you.
Disguise Self	2	1st	illusion	Cause yourself to appear different for the duration.
Feather Fall	2	1st	transmutation	Your reaction safely slows the descent for up to five creatures within 60 feet of you.
Fog Cloud	2	1st	conjuration	You create a sphere of fog within range.
Grease	2	1st	conjuration	Slick grease covers a patch of ground, potentially knocking creatures prone.
Identify	2	1st	divination	You identify what spells are affecting a creature or object, or learn a magic item's properties.
Image	2	1st	illusion	Create the image of an object, a creature, or some other visible phenomenon that is no larger than a 20-foot cube.
Mage Armor	2	1st	abjuration	A creature you touch gains an AC of 13 + its Dexterity modifier.
Perceive Invisibility	2	1st	divination	For at least 1 minute, you see invisible creatures and objects as if they were visible.
Unseen Servant	2	1st	conjuration	Create an invisible, Medium object that performs simple tasks at your bonus action command until the spell ends.

At 2nd level, you learn four additional 2-point spells. At this level, your spell list expands to include a much wider variety of spells as decided by your School of Research. You can choose to learn any of your new spells from the expanded spell list appropriate to your school.

Starting from 3rd level in this class, you learn one more powered spell at odd-numbered levels, and two powered spells at even-numbered levels. You choose which spells to learn from the list available to your School of Research. A spell you choose cannot have points exceeding the Magic Limit of your new level, as shown in the researcher table.

If you are multiclassing, you only learn spells up to your researcher magic limit, not your combined magic limit.

Overpowering a Spell

You can cast a powered spell with more magic points than required to potentially increase its power. This is called "overpowering" the spell. Only some spells can be overpowered, as each spell describes. When overpowering a spell, you still cannot expend magic points in excess of your Magic Limit.

For example, consider fly, a 5-point spell. If your Magic Limit is high enough, you can overpower it to affect multiple creatures instead of only one.

Wise Defense

You can predict and read opponents' attacks to evade them, rather than rely primarily your reaction time or nimbleness of movement. When you would add your Dexterity modifier to your AC, you can choose to add your Wisdom modifier instead. You cannot use this feature if you are already adding your Wisdom modifier to your AC, such as with a monk's Unarmored Defense.

School of Research

When you reach 2nd level, you choose a school of research that represents the area of study, or the type of magic, upon which you focus your efforts the most. Your choice greatly expands your spell list, allowing you to learn from a wider variety of spells than before. Your choice grants you features at 2nd level and again at 6th, 10th, 14th, 18th, and 20th levels.

• As a technomancer, you specialize in enhancing weapons and armor with ancient magic. Your spells often invoke force and protection more than other researchers'.
• As a witch, you wield versatile spells that manipulate allies and foes alike. You have relative mastery over flight, poisons, and potions.
• As a wizzrobe, you specialize in destructive magic and can manipulate elements of nature. Your devastating spells can tear apart foes or freeze them solid.

Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, your capabilities improve in a fundamental but powerful way. At these levels, choose one of the following improvements:

• Increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or two ability scores by 1 each. This cannot increase any ability score above 20 unless you have a feature that increases your ability score maximum.
• Gain a feat of your choice.
• Learn two new powered spells per your Spellcasting feature. The spells chosen cannot exceed your Magic Limit for this level. Gain 2 more magic points.

Studied Skill

At 4th level, your further studies grant you greater expertise in a practical area of study. Choose one skill from Animal Handling, Arcana, Engineering, History, Medicine, Nature, and Religion. You gain proficiency in that skill.

If you are already proficient in the chosen skill, or later would become proficient in it a second time, you instead gain expertise in the skill.

Magic Sense

Magic has become ingrained in your mind so thoroughly it is influencing your senses. Starting from 13th level, you have advantage on Intelligence (Investigation) and Wisdom (Perception) checks to notice spells or magic effects.

You learn the detect magic spell per your Spellcasting feature, but it doesn't count against your Spells Known. If you already have learned this spell, you can instead learn another 2-point researcher spell you would otherwise be able to learn. You can cast detect magic without expending magic points.

Spell Resistance

At 15th level, your understanding of magic enables you to resist spells with enviable ease. You have advantage on saving throws against spells, and resistance to damage from spells which do not afford a saving throw.

Researcher Spell List

The following spells are available to all researchers. The School of Research you choose at 2nd level expands your spell list. See technomancer, witch, or wizzrobe for the respective school's expanded spell list.

Name	MP	Lv	School	Summary
Air Slash	0		transmutation	You form a blade of air to strike a distant creature. If the target is airborne, you have advantage on the attack roll.
Antimagic Field	11	8th	abjuration	A 10-foot radius sphere around you suspends or dispels all magic effects within it.
Blast Bolt	0		evocation	You detonate volatile energy with a melee spell attack. If your attack misses, you take damage and are pushed back.
Candle	0		evocation	Create a five-foot sphere of flame which lingers for a minute, damaging creatures it touches.
Cloudkill	7	5th	conjuration	Conjure a 20-foot radius cloud that heavily obscures and deals poison damage to creatures inside of it.
Counterspell	5	3rd	abjuration	You attempt to interrupt a creature in the process of casting a spell.
Cryonis	0		evocation	Upon a relatively flat plane of liquid water at least five by five feet, you create a pillar of magic ice.
Darkness	3	2nd	evocation	Create magical darkness out to a radius of 15 feet for 10 minutes or longer.
Delayed Flying Object	6	4th	transmutation
Detect Magic	2	1st	divination	Sense the presence of magic within 30 feet of you.
Dimension Door	6	4th	conjuration	You teleport yourself and up to one other creature up to 500 feet away to a point you specify.
Disguise Self	2	1st	illusion	Cause yourself to appear different for the duration.
Dispel Magic	5	3rd	abjuration	You attempt to end a spell effect in range.
Feather Fall	2	1st	transmutation	Your reaction safely slows the descent for up to five creatures within 60 feet of you.
Fly	5	3rd	transmutation	A willing creature you touch gains a flying speed of 60 feet for the duration.
Flying Object	1	1st	transmutation	A Small nearby object shoots up to 100 feet in a straight line, potentially damaging a creature in its path.
Fog Cloud	2	1st	conjuration	You create a sphere of fog within range.
Grease	2	1st	conjuration	Slick grease covers a patch of ground, potentially knocking creatures prone.
Greater Invisibility	6	4th	illusion	A creature you touch becomes invisible for 1 minute.
Gust of Wind	3	2nd	evocation	You create a sustained blast of wind in a line at least 60 feet long and 10 feet wide for up to 1 minute.
Identify	2	1st	divination	You identify what spells are affecting a creature or object, or learn a magic item's properties.
Illumination	3	2nd	evocation	Create daylight out to a wide radius for 10 minutes or longer.
Illusory Script	1	1st	illusion	You write a script that appears true to creatures you designate, but illusory to all other creatures.
Image	2	1st	illusion	Create the image of an object, a creature, or some other visible phenomenon that is no larger than a 20-foot cube.
Invisibility	4	2nd	illusion	A creature you touch becomes invisible until it attacks or casts a spell, for up to 1 hour.
Knock	3	2nd	transmutation	You magically open a lock or similar opening, but create a loud knock audible from up to 300 feet away.
Light	0		evocation	You touch one object, causing it to shed bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet
Locate Creature	6	4th	divination	Sense the direction of a familiar creature you specify if it is within 1,000 feet of you.
Mage Armor	2	1st	abjuration	A creature you touch gains an AC of 13 + its Dexterity modifier.
Magic Circle	5	3rd	abjuration	You create a 10-foot radius cylinder that prevents certain creature types from entering.
Mending	0		transmutation	This spell repairs a single break or tear in an object you touch.
Minor Illusion	0		illusion	You create a sound or an image of an object (not a creature) within range that lasts for 1 minute.
Mirror Image	3	2nd	illusion	You create three illusory duplicates of yourself to distract attacks away from you.
Nondetection	5	3rd	abjuration	For 8 hours, you hide a target that you touch from divination magic.
Passwall	7	5th	transmutation	A passage appears for 1 hour in a surface you specify, and reaches up to 20 feet deep.
Perceive Invisibility	2	1st	divination	For at least 1 minute, you see invisible creatures and objects as if they were visible.
Prestidigitation	0		transmutation	You create one of several minor magical effects.
Programmed Illusion	8	6th	illusion	You create a potentially complex illusion that activates when a certain criteria is met, and can activate repeatedly until dispelled.
Project Duplicate	10	7th	illusion	For up to 1 day, project a convincing illusory copy of yourself up to 500 miles away.
Ray of Radiance	0		evocation	You hurl a ball of light, dealing radiant damage and briefly illuminating the target.
Razor Tome	0		transmutation	Razor-sharp parchment flies out to slash one or more nearby creatures.
Sage Hand	0		conjuration	Conjure a translucent, floating hand that can manipulate objects at range.
Sandcast	0		evocation	You hurl a swirling mass of sand at a creature to deal damage. A hit creature is damaged and suffers disadvantage on a Wisdom (Perception) checks or ranged attack roll.
Scrying	7	5th	divination	You can see and hear a particular creature you choose that is on the same plane of existence as you.
Seeming	7	5th	illusion	Give numerous creatures an illusory disguise that lasts up to 8 hours.
Seizing Bolt	3	2nd	evocation	A ray of flashing white-and-yellow lightning springs from you to seize the muscles of a creature.
Sending	4	3rd	evocation	You send a short message to any creature with which you are familiar over any possible distance.
Shocking Grasp	0		evocation	Lightning springs from your hand to deliver a shock to a creature you try to touch.
Slow	5	3rd	transmutation	Up to six creatures are slowed in time, diminishing their effectiveness in combat.
Spider Climb	3	2nd	transmutation	A creature you touch can climb across vertical surfaces and ceilings while leaving its hands free, for up to an hour.
Stinking Cloud	5	3rd	conjuration	Conjure a 20-foot radius cloud that heavily obscures. A creature that starts its turn in the cloud must succeed a Con save or lose its action.
Touch Wind	0		transmutation	You seize the air and compel it to create one of several minor effects.
Tremor	1	1st	evocation	You cause the ground around you to wildly shake, knocking nearby creatures prone and creating difficult terrain.
True Seeing	9	6th	divination	A creature you touch gains truesight out to a range of 120 feet for 1 hour.
Unseen Servant	2	1st	conjuration	Create an invisible, Medium object that performs simple tasks at your bonus action command until the spell ends.
Warping Step	1	1st	conjuration	You teleport to an unoccupied space you can see up to 30 feet away.

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The text of this page is partly based on the the V5.1 Systems Reference Document (SRD). The text of both this page and the SRD are released under Creative Commons (“CC-BY-4.0”). [1]