D&D 5E The Binder, a WIP Homebrew Class for 5e

[doctorbadwolf]

Okay! So, rather than necessarily boosting subclasses at level 1 or putting Spellcasting at level 1, I am considering adding some version of the following:

Bound Servant
Starting at level 1, you can perform a 1 hour ritual to bind into your service a creature of an origin of your choosing; a beast, monstrosity, fey, fiend, or aberration. The Servant uses one of the statistics for one of; Servant of Air, Servant of Earth, Servant of Shadow, Servant of The Wood, which can be found below.

CR 1/8 or so statblocks. Not combat useful as is. Each has a feature named Empower Servant, where you use a spell a lot to give a boost based on spell level to the servant, scaling similarly to the Tasha’s summon spells, and a feature that allows you to cast a spell that would normally summon a single creature to instead transform your servant into that creature.

Basic concept seem sound?

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Probably simplify that a bit, actually.

So, the actual stat block of the servant.

I said 1/8 CR before, but the base CR will likely depend on how balanced I can make the spellcasting, vestiges, and subclasses, with most of the servant's power being how other features buff them. At least one subclass will basically put all of it's power into the servant, and even be able to spend HD to heal the servant.

Another consideration is whether I want to also rewrite Find Familiar, or leave it alone. THe problem I see with FF is that the familiars it summons can't reasonably help the caster with the things a familiar should be good for. It can't help you craft potions, or research spells, or research anything else, or help your spellcasting in any way, so how exactly is it even a familiar?


The Bound Servant will be able to do all of those things, with combat utility coming in only when you spend resources to make the Servant stronger.

 

[jmartkdr2]

Okay! So, rather than necessarily boosting subclasses at level 1 or putting Spellcasting at level 1, I am considering adding some version of the following:

Bound Servant
Starting at level 1, you can perform a 1 hour ritual to bind into your service a creature of an origin of your choosing; a beast, monstrosity, fey, fiend, or aberration. The Servant uses one of the statistics for one of; Servant of Air, Servant of Earth, Servant of Shadow, Servant of The Wood, which can be found below.

CR 1/8 or so statblocks. Not combat useful as is. Each has a feature named Empower Servant, where you use a spell a lot to give a boost based on spell level to the servant, scaling similarly to the Tasha’s summon spells, and a feature that allows you to cast a spell that would normally summon a single creature to instead transform your servant into that creature.

Basic concept seem sound?

Going this route makes sense if you want the Binder to primarily be a pet class, with ways to do other things - but if you want to focus on rituals more broadly, I'd say this isn't the best road to take. I'd address it more in the subclasses - you might not be there yet, but after you flesh those out you'll need to make sure they all work as intended.

In other words: I'd boost the subclasses by giving them a bonus ritual (find familiar but it can attack for Goetic) or cantrip (searing light for Heretic.)

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Going this route makes sense if you want the Binder to primarily be a pet class, with ways to do other things - but if you want to focus on rituals more broadly, I'd say this isn't the best road to take. I'd address it more in the subclasses - you might not be there yet, but after you flesh those out you'll need to make sure they all work as intended.

In other words: I'd boost the subclasses by giving them a bonus ritual (find familiar but it can attack for Goetic) or cantrip (searing light for Heretic.)

Good points. The original concept was a full summoner class, and thus a pet class. During initial development, the idea became that of a ritualist.

I think that it isn’t too hard to balance what is basically a familiar you can spend resources to buff as a base class feature, though. I’ll work on it in the next iteration.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Probably simplify that a bit, actually.

So, the actual stat block of the servant.

I said 1/8 CR before, but the base CR will likely depend on how balanced I can make the spellcasting, vestiges, and subclasses, with most of the servant's power being how other features buff them. At least one subclass will basically put all of it's power into the servant, and even be able to spend HD to heal the servant.

Another consideration is whether I want to also rewrite Find Familiar, or leave it alone. THe problem I see with FF is that the familiars it summons can't reasonably help the caster with the things a familiar should be good for. It can't help you craft potions, or research spells, or research anything else, or help your spellcasting in any way, so how exactly is it even a familiar?


The Bound Servant will be able to do all of those things, with combat utility coming in only when you spend resources to make the Servant stronger.

It's been quite a while since I last messed with the Binder, and I've clarified the vision quite a bit in that time.

The Binder is essentially the primary mystical magic user of a set of classes focused on a different playstyle than the PHB. In many ways an alternate wizard, or alt warlock, or both, depending on how you look at it, but built from the ground up to not just be an alt anything.

The Bound Servant feature, spellcasting with heavy ritual focus, and the Ritual Tools, are the core defining features. The Vestiges will keep the flavor they have in the first draft, as will the subclasses.

I'll go through the document and post an update soon.

 

[Scars Unseen]

Vestiges? Implements? Pacts? Fan of Wildbow's work, I take it?

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Vestiges? Implements? Pacts? Fan of Wildbow's work, I take it?

I’m afraid I’m not familiar with their work. These are all terms that are used in esoteric traditions and mystery cults and occult societies from Europe, and have previously been used in D&D.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Update. I’ve added Find Familiar as an automatic ritual spell at level 1. At level 2 you gain the ability to empower or heal your familiar with spell slots, or have it transform when you cast a spell or use a feature that summons or conjures a creature under your control.

Updated the Bowl Implement benefit to be an extra spell slot you get back with a long rest or by way of a 10 minute ritual that you can do during a short rest that requires you to take 1d8 damage and lose 1 HD.


Up next:
Took some of the Blade benefits out, and will write up a vestige that replicates them, such as using Int for all attacks and damage with the blade.

A vestige for the familiar that expands hat familiars you can have, and let’s the familiar speak aloud regardless of its form.

Gonna rewrite find familiar to make the familiar more useful in crafting spells, potions, scrolls, and magic items, as well as inscribing spells and doing research.

 

[Scars Unseen]

I’m afraid I’m not familiar with their work. These are all terms that are used in esoteric traditions and mystery cults and occult societies from Europe, and have previously been used in D&D.

If you like reading, I highly recommend checking out Pact. It's a pretty long (~950k words) horror/urban fantasy, and it has one of the more interesting applications of magic I've read.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

If you like reading, I highly recommend checking out Pact. It's a pretty long (~950k words) horror/urban fantasy, and it has one of the more interesting applications of magic I've read.

If I can figure out how to like, bookmark my place, or if there is a print on demand option or something, I'd love to. I'm afraid my attention span isn't going to let me make a dent in that long a story in that format.