Researcher (archived)

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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	—	3	7	3
4th	+2	Improvement	3	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

Heart Containers: 1d6 per researcher level

Heart Points at 1st Level: 6 + Constitution modifier

Heart Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + Constitution modifier per researcher level after 1st. If your 1d6 roll lands on a 1, you can re-roll the die and use the higher result.

Proficiencies

If researcher is your first class, you have proficiency with the following. These are in addition to your proficiency points.

Armor: None

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

Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom

Skills: Arcana

Proficiency Points

Option: Background

Legends of Hyrule doesn't have backgrounds under default rules. Proficiency points are meant to replace benefits provided by a traditional Background.
If your campaign uses traditional Backgrounds, you gain no proficiency points, but instead are proficient in the Arcana skill plus two more skills of your choice from Animal Handling, History, Insight, Medicine, Nature, Performance, Persuasion, and Religion. These proficiencies are in addition to any 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 in History, 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, Medicine, Nature, and Religion.
You can invest 3 points to become proficient in any other skill.

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, you can forget up to 3 proficiency points' worth of benefits you gained with this feature. Doing so lets you regain the points you invested. You can then immediately invest these points into any other benefits in accordance with this feature, or save them to be assigned at later levels.

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

Magic Meter

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

Spell Slot Alternative

Some players may prefer traditional spell slot levels over Hyrulean magic points. If this is the case for you, make the following adjustments.
     Spell Slots (replaces Magic Meter and Magic Limit). You initially have two 1st-level spell slots to cast researcher spells. Starting from 2nd level, you gain spell slots at the same rate the bard, cleric, sorcerer, and wizard classes do (see SRD or PHB).
     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 warping step and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast warping step using either slot.
     Powered Spells Known. What spells you can learn with this feature are governed by your spell slots, not your Magic Limit, but you otherwise learn spells at the same rate. You can learn any spell of 1st-level or higher that does not exceed your highest level spell slot. Each time you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of these spells you've learned with a new spell from your school's spell list if the new spell doesn't exceed your highest level spell slot.

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.

Researcher spells of 10-points or higher are particularly taxing to cast. Upon casting one, you must finish a short rest before you cast another spell of 10-points or higher.

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:

Air Slash	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	You detonate volatile energy with a melee spell attack. If your attack misses, you take damage and are pushed back.
Candle	Create a five-foot sphere of flame which lingers for a minute, damaging creatures it touches.
Cryonis	Upon a relatively flat plane of liquid water at least five by five feet, you create a pillar of magic ice.
Light	You touch one object, causing it to shed bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet
Mending	This spell repairs a single break or tear in an object you touch.
Minor Illusion	You create a sound or an image of an object (not a creature) within range that lasts for 1 minute.
Prestidigitation	You create one of several minor magical effects.
Ray of Radiance	You hurl a ball of light, dealing radiant damage and briefly illuminating the target.
Razor Tome	Razor-sharp parchment flies out to slash one or more nearby creatures.
Sage Hand	Conjure a translucent, floating hand that can manipulate objects at range.
Sandcast	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	Lightning springs from your hand to deliver a shock to a creature you try to touch.
Touch Wind	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 another cantrip from your expanded list at 2nd level, at 5th level, and 9th level. You can use your Improvement feature to replace cantrips you know, or learn entirely new cantrips.

Powered Spells Known

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

Flying Object	A Small nearby object shoots up to 100 feet in a straight line, potentially damaging a creature in its path.
Illusory Script	You write a script that appears true to creatures you designate, but illusory to all other creatures.
Tremor	You cause the ground around you to wildly shake, knocking nearby creatures prone and creating difficult terrain.
Warping Step	You teleport to an unoccupied space you can see up to 30 feet away.

Detect Magic	Sense the presence of magic within 30 feet of you.
Disguise Self	Cause yourself to appear different for the duration.
Feather Fall	Your reaction safely slows the descent for up to five creatures within 60 feet of you.
Fog Cloud	You create a sphere of fog within range.
Grease	Slick grease covers a patch of ground, potentially knocking creatures prone.
Identify	You identify what spells are affecting a creature or object, or learn a magic item's properties.
Image	Create the image of an object, a creature, or some other visible phenomenon that is no larger than a 20-foot cube.
Mage Armor	A creature you touch gains an AC of 13 + its Dexterity modifier.
Perceive Invisibility	For at least 1 minute, you see invisible creatures and objects as if they were visible.
Unseen Servant	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 1-point or 2-point spells (or "1st-level 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 each time you gain a level in this class. 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 researcher level, as shown in the researcher table.

Each time you gain a level in this class, you can also replace one researcher spell you've learned with this feature with a new one you would be able to learn from your schools's spell list. The new spell you choose can be higher than the spell it replaces, but cannot exceed your current Magic Limit.

You can use your Improvement feature to learn even more powered spells.

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.

Overpowering a researcher spell to 10-points or higher is particularly taxing, as described under your Magic Limit feature.

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.

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 every four levels thereafter: 6th, 10th, 14th, 18th, and 20th.

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 twilit, you specialize in arcane magic that was lost long ago when its practitioners were banished to the Twilight Realm.
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 that draws from the elements. Your devastating spells can incinerate foes or freeze them solid.

Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, your capabilities evolve 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.

Each time you gain this feature, you can also replace one of your cantrips with a new one from your school's spell list.

Studied Skill

At 7th level, your further studies grant you greater expertise in a practical area of study. Choose one skill from Arcana, Engineering, History, Medicine, and Nature. You become an expert in the chosen skill: double your proficiency bonus for ability checks which use 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 (1st-level) researcher spell you would otherwise be able to learn. You can cast detect magic without expending magic points (or a spell slot).

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.

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, twilit, witch, or wizzrobe for the respective school's expanded spell list.

Cantrips (0-points)

Air Slash	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	You detonate volatile energy with a melee spell attack. If your attack misses, you take damage and are pushed back.
Candle	Create a five-foot sphere of flame which lingers for a minute, damaging creatures it touches.
Cryonis	Upon a relatively flat plane of liquid water at least five by five feet, you create a pillar of magic ice.
Light	You touch one object, causing it to shed bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet
Mending	This spell repairs a single break or tear in an object you touch.
Minor Illusion	You create a sound or an image of an object (not a creature) within range that lasts for 1 minute.
Prestidigitation	You create one of several minor magical effects.
Ray of Radiance	You hurl a ball of light, dealing radiant damage and briefly illuminating the target.
Razor Tome	Razor-sharp parchment flies out to slash one or more nearby creatures.
Sage Hand	Conjure a translucent, floating hand that can manipulate objects at range.
Sandcast	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	Lightning springs from your hand to deliver a shock to a creature you try to touch.
Touch Wind	You seize the air and compel it to create one of several minor effects.

1-point

Flying Object	A Small nearby object shoots up to 100 feet in a straight line, potentially damaging a creature in its path.
Illusory Script	You write a script that appears true to creatures you designate, but illusory to all other creatures.
Tremor	You cause the ground around you to wildly shake, knocking nearby creatures prone and creating difficult terrain.
Warping Step	You teleport to an unoccupied space you can see up to 30 feet away.

2-point

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

3-point

Darkness	Create magical darkness out to a radius of 15 feet for 10 minutes or longer.
Gust of Wind	You create a sustained blast of wind in a line at least 60 feet long and 10 feet wide for up to 1 minute.
Illumination	Create daylight out to a wide radius for 10 minutes or longer.
Knock	You magically open a lock or similar opening, but create a loud knock audible from up to 300 feet away.
Mirror Image	You create three illusory duplicates of yourself to distract attacks away from you.
Seizing Bolt	A ray of flashing white-and-yellow lightning springs from you to seize the muscles of a creature.
Spider Climb	A creature you touch can climb across vertical surfaces and ceilings while leaving its hands free, for up to an hour.

4-point

Invisibility	A creature you touch becomes invisible until it attacks or casts a spell, for up to 1 hour.
Sending	You send a short message to any creature with which you are familiar over any possible distance.

5-point

Counterspell	You attempt to interrupt a creature in the process of casting a spell.
Dispel Magic	You attempt to end a spell effect in range.
Fly	A willing creature you touch gains a flying speed of 60 feet for the duration.
Magic Circle	You create a 10-foot radius cylinder that prevents certain creature types from entering.
Nondetection	For 8 hours, you hide a target that you touch from divination magic.
Slow	Up to six creatures are slowed in time, diminishing their effectiveness in combat.
Stinking Cloud	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.

6-point

Delayed Flying Object
Dimension Door	You teleport yourself and up to one other creature up to 500 feet away to a point you specify.
Greater Invisibility	A creature you touch becomes invisible for 1 minute.
Locate Creature	Sense the direction of a familiar creature you specify if it is within 1,000 feet of you.

7-point

Cloudkill	Conjure a 20-foot radius cloud that heavily obscures and deals poison damage to creatures inside of it.
Passwall	A passage appears for 1 hour in a surface you specify, and reaches up to 20 feet deep.
Scrying	You can see and hear a particular creature you choose that is on the same plane of existence as you.
Seeming	Give numerous creatures an illusory disguise that lasts up to 8 hours.

8-point

Programmed Illusion

You create a potentially complex illusion that activates when a certain criteria is met, and can activate repeatedly until dispelled.

9-point

True Seeing

A creature you touch gains truesight out to a range of 120 feet for 1 hour.

10-point

Project Duplicate

For up to 1 day, project a convincing illusory copy of yourself up to 500 miles away.

11-point

Antimagic Field

A 10-foot radius sphere around you suspends or dispels all magic effects within it.

12-point

13-point

14-point

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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]