Empath (5e Class)

As an Empath, emotions are your power. The ability to mold and manipulate the feelings of others make you who you are. Allies can be bolstered, foes can be weakened, and even your most hateful enemies can be brought to their knees in worship of your greatness. As an Empath, you can see both the best and worst in people - their true character is laid out before you. Be careful with those you keep close - no one with an Empath as a companion will be free of their emotional influence.

Quick Build

You can make a Empath quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the Outlander or Hermit background. Third, choose your equipment.

Class Features

As a Combat Empath you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per Combat Empath level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Combat Empath level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Simple weapons melee, martial weapons melee
Tools: Three musical instruments of your choice, all gaming sets
Saving Throws: Charisma, Constitution
Skills: Insight, plus two skills of your choice from the following: Animal handling, Arcana, Deception, Intimidation, Persuasion, Performance, and Religion

Equipment

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

• (a) adventurers kit or (b) disguise kit
• (a) two simple weapons melee or (b) one martial weapons melee
• (a) leather armour + dagger or (b) studed leather
• (a) arcane focus or (b) potion of healing
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 4d4 x 10 gp in funds.

Starting at 1st level, you can prepare a number of Empath spells from the spell list equal to the sum of your Charisma modifier and your Empath level.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the empath spells you know and replace it with another spell from the empath spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Starting at 1st level as a bonus action, you can make an Insight check of DC 10 + target's Charisma mod to learn one piece of information about the target. Options include: an ability it has, a stat, a spell it can cast, how a damage or condition type will effect it, its health, its AC, a subject of conversation that would interest it, or an opinion that will affect its emotional state. At level 13, you gain 2 pieces of information instead of 1.

Starting at level 2, your empathetic powers begin to take form and affect those around you. Once per day, you can cast the spell Calm Emotions within a 20ft radius sphere centered on you without sacrificing a spell slot. The duration of this spell is 1d10 minutes and has a DC of 15, which will increase to DC 18 at level 7, and DC 20 at level 15.

Starting at the 2nd level, you gain the ability to, as an action, attune yourself to creatures with emotions, granting you the ability or spell to replicate the ability or spell of others, excluding weapon attacks. In order to replicate the ability/spell, you must pass a Charisma check. (Spells) DC10+spell level (Abilities) DC10+ half "casting creatures" CR When a creature uses an ability, you must be within 10ft of either the caster or target area of the spell or ability in order to copy it. All spells are copied at the level that are cast. You can copy a spell before you can cast it, but you can't use it until you have an available slot. Abilities may take up any spell slot but expend a slot when cast. Abilities such as regeneration and spider climb last for 1 min when cast.

At level 11 you no longer need the creature to use the ability to replicate it. You simply need to know it can use an ability, and must be within 30' of either the caster or target area of the spell or ability in order to copy it, if copying when cast but if copying from knowing the creature can do it you must be in 30' of the creature

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.

The bonds you form in life become your strongest weapons in battle. You may make one battle bond with another person at a time. Upon leveling up, you may end a bond and forge a new one if desired. If the person you have a bond with dies, your bond automatically becomes grieving mourner, nostalgic widow or vengeful friend until you chose to forge a new bond with someone else.

Sworn Sibling If you damage an enemy, your bond partner has +2 to hit on their next attack against that target and vice versa. Magic users can add +2 to their DC for saving throw spells.

Loving Master and Loyal Servant When the master and slave are within 30ft of each other and either is attacked, they both gain temporary health equal to their respective constitution modifiers.

Passionate Lovers When you and your bond partner are within 100ft of each other, both of your attacks and spells deal an extra d6 fire or psychic damage.

Friendly Rivals When you or your rival does well (rolls a 17+), the other will be given advantage on their next roll for the opportunity to match.

Bitter Rivals When you or your rival do poorly (rolls 5 or lower), the other thrives and gains advantage on their next roll.

Uneasy Allies When you and your bond allies are within 60ft of each other, you will have advantage on initiative rolls and any perception and/or investigation rolls that are specifically looking for traps in the area.

Obsession When the object of the obsession is attacked, you can move up to 15ft to take the attack for them while the obsession gets an AC boost equal to the Empath's charisma modifier

Grieving Mourner You gain the ability to channel your grief into a shield that protects you from further emotional harm, making you resistant to psychic damage.

Nostalgic Widow You draw strength from your former bond partner to help you from beyond the grave. You gain advantage on all skill checks that are based on intelligence charisma and wisdom as if a whispered voice on the wind is guiding you.

Vengeful Friend You gain advantage when attacking creatures of the same race of the being that killed your former bond partner.

Starting at the 9th level, you can manipulate the emotions of those around you by making a spell attack on any target you can touch. The number of times you can do this is equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once) and the effects last for 1 minute unless otherwise specified. You regain any expended uses after a long rest. At level 18, when you cast manipulate emotions you can grant two effects.

Rage Grants the Barbarian's Rage on the target.

Fervor Grants advantage on all religion or intimidation checks and on attacks made against fiends.

Despair Gives disadvantage on all physical attack rolls made against a target of your choice.

Joy Target gains advantage on all persuasion checks and charisma saving throws for duration.

Enthusiasm Target can add the Empath`s charisma modifier to their initiative and attack rolls.

Power Target gains advantage on all strength, dexterity and constitution checks for duration.

Courage Target gains immunity to fear for duration.

Focus Target has advantage on all attacks on their next turn.

Fear Target is frightened for duration.

Shock Stuns target until end of their next turn.

Desire Acts as a Charm spell (of non-magic nature).

Frenzy Gives target creature an extra attack for duration.

Terror Target is frightened, with you as the object of this fear, for duration and takes 1d10 psychic damage.

Starting at 10th level, your understanding of the emotions surrounding you allow to passively sense the superficial emotional state of all creatures around 10 feet of you. It does not work on creatures devoid of emotion or unconscious. An Insight check must be made to gain a more deep understanding of the emotions, such as what might have originated said feelings. Make an Insight check DC 10 + target's charisma modifier for a deeper understanding.

Starting at 14th level, you can gain an additional proficiency in 1 saving throw and 4 other skills

Starting at the 17th level, you gain the ability to send a spell back at the caster once per short rest. If it is an area of effect spell, they become the center of it.

Starting at the 20th level you can polymorph in to a creature you can see, but you retain any spells or skills gained by your empathetic power

Your emphatic powers manifest in one of three ways this begins at 3rd level and advances at levels 7th 11th 15th

You are a warrior who can use your understanding of the feelings of others to make your skills in combat unrivaled by the average person.

Tools of the Warrior

At 3rd Level, you gain Proficiency with medium and heavy armor, shields, ranged Simple weapons, and ranged martial weapons. You can also add your charisma modifier to the weapon attack and damage rolls, instead of utilizing your strength or dexterity modifiers.

The Warrior Within At 7th Level you can use your insight into a creature's state of mind to grant yourself advantage on actions against you or give the target disadvantage no actions against you for 1 minute. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your charisma modifier, and regain expended uses after a long rest.

Emotional Armor At 11th Level your armor can adapt to the emotions within you. When wearing armor, you can give your it resistance to any type for 1 hour. This ability can only be used once per long rest. In addition the armor changes color like a mood ring.

Thunderous Cry At 15th Level once per short rest you can let out a battle cry that grants all friendly creatures with in 30' 3d6 temporary hit points. All hostile creatures make a constitution saving throw. On failed save they take 3d6 thunder damage or half as much on a successful one.

You are aware more than most of the power of words. You use them to make up for the strength your body lacks.

Diplomat's Tongue At 3rd Level you gain advantage on any check to negotiate using a charisma skill. You can also use Charisma in place of Wisdom for Animal Handling checks.

Persuasive Words At 7th Level you can use a reaction to give a creature disadvantage on saves against being charmed or frightened. Alternatively, you can use your action to talk a creature out of the charm or fear effect by making a contested roll against the person casting the the charm or fear effect. This is done using your charisma against the caster's Spell Save DC. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your charisma modifier, and regain expended uses after a long rest.

Expert in Many Things At 11th Level, you gain Expertise in 3 skills

Isolating Words At 15th Level, you can unleash a string of insults that causes a creature to retreat into their mind. The creature must make an Intelligence save against your Spell Save DC. On a failed save, the creature falls unconscious. This ability lasts until the creature has remove curse cast on it, or at the end of each of its turns. The creature may make a save with advantage if it is damaged. Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

Some mental trauma in your life has left you unable to deal with the emotions of others. This has caused your magic to bend and twist, as well as the feelings of the people around you.

At 3rd level, you gain the ability to twist your spells to suit your needs. You gain two of the following Metamagic options of your choice. You gain additional options at 10th and 17th leveI. You can use only one Metamagic option on a spell when you cast it, unless otherwise noted.

Twisting Points At 3rd level, you gain twisting points witch work like SORCERY POINTS. For using Metamagic you have 3 twisting points, and you gain more as you reach higher levels, as shown in the twisting points column of the Empath table. You can never have more twisting points than shown on the table for your level. You regain all spent twisting points points when you finish a long rest

Emotional Poison At 7th level, you can cause a target within 30; of you to feel a burning searing hatred of a designated creature within 30' of it, causing the target to have to roll a wisdom check against the Empath's spell DC. On a successful check, the target realizes that the hatred is implanted by the Empath. On a failed check, the target refuses to work with or do anything beneficial for the designated creature for the next 8 hours. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your charisma modifier, and regain expended uses after a long rest.

Maddening Feelings At 11th Level, you can cast a spell against a target within 60' that deals 3d10 psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. If you hit, roll a d10 to see what effect the ability causes in the target. This effect lasts for 1 minute. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your charisma modifier, and regain expended uses after a long rest.

1-2 Kleptomania: Each turn, the target must make wisdom check against the Empath's Spell DC. On a failure they must try to steal the most valuable item they can see.

3-4 Anxiety: Each turn, the target must make wisdom check against the Empath's Spell DC. On a failure they are rendered unable to act that turn .

5-6 Panophobia: Each turn, the target must make wisdom check against the Empath's Spell DC. On a failure they suffer the fear effect from every creature it can see within 30'.

7-8 Depression: Each turn, the target must make wisdom check against the Empath's Spell DC. On a failure all attacks made against them are done so with advantage.

9-10 Self-Destructive Behavior: Each turn, the target must make wisdom check against the Empath's Spell DC. On a failure the target must use its reaction to attack itself.

Captive Love At 15th Level, you can cause a target to have to roll a wisdom check against your spell DC. You can attempt to force a creature capable of loving you (wisdom of 3+) to fall madly in love with you for a week. The charmed creature regards you as the love of its life. This ability can only be active on one creature at a time, and after the week is over you must cast the spell again. If done while the target is still under the spell, the target has disadvantage on the save. Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

You can learn all of the spells on the basic spell list. For Homebrew spells, talk with your DM to see what is allowed.

Blade Ward / Guidance

Mending / Control Flames

Lightning Lure/ Shocking Grasp

Spare the Dying / Vicious Mockery

Booming Blade / Green-Flame Blade

Sword Burst / Poison Spray

Prestidigitation / Gust

Fire Bolt / Minor Illusion

Mold Earth / Shape Water

True Strike/Friends

Ray of Frost/Control Flames

1st Level

Wrathful Smite/Heroism

Compelled Duel/Detect Evil and Good

Beast Bond/Animal Friendship

Ice Knife/Thunderwave

Speak with Animals/Charm Person

Hex/Hellish Rebuke

Armor of Agathys/Burning Hands

Comprehend Languages/False Life

Jump/Longstrider

Mage Armor/Magic Missile

Sleep/Tasha's Hideous Laughter

Shield/Inflict Wounds

Chromatic Orb/Feather Fall

2nd Level

Branding Smite/Locate Object

Magic Weapon/Zone of Truth

Animal Messenger/Beast Sense

Enhance Ability/Find Traps

Flame Blade/Heat Metal

Hold Person/Locate Animals or Plants

Alter Self/Warding Wind

Crown of Madness/Calm Emotions

Enthrall/Phantasmal Force

Pyrotechnics/Shatter

Silence/Suggestion

Shatter/Aganazzar's Scorcher

Misty Step/Scorching Ray

Mirror Image/Invisibility

3rd Level

Blinding Smite/Crusader's Mantle

Dispel Magic/Remove Curse

Elemental Weapon/Conjure Animals

Erupting Earth/Feign Death

Flame Arrows/Protection from Energy

Speak with Plants/Blink

Clairvoyance/Fear

Fireball/Fly

Haste/Hypnotic Pattern

Lightning Bolt/Melf's Minute Meteors

Slow/Vampiric Touch

Water Walk/Tongues

Bestow Curse/Animate Dead

4th Level

Death Ward/Locate Creature

Banishment/Staggering Smite

Confusion/Control Water

Dominate Beast/Elemental Bane

Grasping Vine/Hallucinatory Terrain

Polymorph/Locate Creature

Wall of Fire/Storm Sphere

Stoneskin/Greater Invisibility

Otiluke's Resilient Sphere/Phantasmal Killer

Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum/Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound

5th Level

Banishing Smite/Circle of Power

Geas/Contagion

Insect Plague/Legend Lore

Planar Binding/Scrying

Antilife Shell/Awaken

Planar Binding/Animate Objects

Cone of Cold/Cloudkill

Dominate Person/Hold Monster

Immolation/Seeming

Telekinesis/Dream

Contact Other Plane/Mislead

Rary's Telepathic Bond/Seeming

6th Level

Conjure Fey/Find the Path

Heroes' Feast/Investiture of Flame

Investiture of Ice/Investiture of Stone

Investiture of Wind/Sunbeam

Forbiddance/Harm

True Seeing/Word of Recall

Eyebite/Guards and Wards

Mass Suggestion/Otto's Irresistible Dance

Disintegrate/Move Earth

Chain Lightning/Drawmij's Instant Summons

7th Level

Etherealness/Forcecage

Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion/Mordenkainen's Sword

Symbol/Conjure Celestial

Plane Shift/Reverse Gravity

Finger of Death/Delayed Blast Fireball

Prismatic Spray/Simulacrum

8th Level

Dominate Monster/Feeblemind

Glibness/Power Word Stun

Earthquake/Antimagic Field

Incendiary Cloud/Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting

Sunburst/Demiplane

9th Level

Foresight/Power Word Kill

True Polymorph/Gate

Wish

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Empath class, you must meet these prerequisites: Proficiency in Insight 13charisma

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Empath class, you gain the following proficiencies: Simple weapons melee, martial weapons melee

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