Masked Hero

Overview & Creation

Masked Hero The orc slashes its axe across the archer's abdomen, causing her to drop to her knees in pain. When the warrior swings its weapon again to deal the killing blow, a figure appears before them in the blink of an eye, and deflects the attack with one sword strike. The bleeding archer gasps, before gazing up in awe at the helmeted, violet warrior that now stood over her.   Uttering a command-phrase, a red suit of armor begins to manifest around the mysterious stranger. As the armor-pieces join together in perfect harmony, an audible melody rings in the air, as if heralding the arrival of a saviour. When the tune finally ends, the crimson knight unsheathes a flaming blade.   Driving the entire length of the blue blade straight into the demon's torso, the gigantic beast cries out in pain before the masked figure sends it reeling backwards with a blazing kick. Right as the monster's back hit the wall behind it, its howl of pain is silenced by a burning fist that caves-in its skull. The beast finally dead, its body crumbles away as ash in the wind.   Beyond the safe haven of cities, masked heroes endlessly battle against the forces of evil. Donning suits of armor fueled by their force-of-will, these warriors take up heroic personas to fight as the world's faceless defenders. They fight for those who can't, and do so even if their efforts are unrecognized.   Faceless Warriors of Self-Sacrifice Donning colourful uniforms and masks, a masked hero is a selfless warrior that jumps straight into combat without any hesitation. Wielding weapons and a variety of spells to assist their companions in the battlefield, their abilities shine at their brightest when these masked warriors are standing side-by-side alongside other daring adventurers.   But it is during the critical moment when an ally is about to be struck where a masked hero shows their true potential. In mere seconds, a masked hero can appear in front of allies to absorb - if not deflect - blows that would kill lesser men. It is through sheer willpower that they do not die to their wounds, as they fight, so others would not have to suffer.   No matter where the battlefield may be, these heroes never hesitate to appear. As they take to the fields of battle in their masked forms, their mere presence is enough to bolster any warrior that find themselves fighting alongside these faceless avengers. Whenever a person is in need of help, the arrival of a masked hero is always within seconds.   The Persona Beneath the Mask The defining aspects of a masked hero would be the mask and uniform that they don, both channeling innate abilities while also enforcing the unforgettable image of a faceless vigilante of justice.   While not in this form, a masked hero would look like any other person that you would find in the crowd. But whenever the time for battle comes, a masked hero rushes right into the forefront, mystical armor and weapons manifesting into view with no more than a single command to call them forth.   It is with this form that a masked hero strikes fear into the heart of their enemies, as it is hard to forget the appearance of the enigmatic warrior that is capable of decimating several opponents with ease.

Class Features

Heroic Armaments As an action on your turn, you can transform a weapon that are you are wielding - and proficient in - into a tool of justice called a heroic armament. After you do this, harmless visual effects, such as floating musical notes or blue flames, can be perceived around your weapon. This benefit lasts until you finish a long rest, and ends early if you die.   You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (a minimum of once). Whenever you finish a long rest, you regain all expended uses.   Masked Transformation On your turn, you can transform as a bonus action to assume your heroic form and gain the following benefits:   Your Armor Class equals to 13 + your Wisdom Modifier. While transformed, wielding a shield does not increase your Armor Class. You can use your Charisma modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls of any weapon attack you make with a heroic armament. Once per turn, an enemy creature you hit with a melee weapon attack takes an extra 1d6 force damage if there is a friendly creature within 10 feet of it. Any armor that you are wearing merges into your heroic form and has no effect until your transformed state ends. Your transformed state lasts for a number of hours equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one), and ends early if you are reduced to 0 hit points, or die. You can also end your transformation as a bonus action on your turn.   Your masked hero level determines the number of times you can transform, as shown in the Transformations column of the Masked Hero table. You recover all expended uses of Masked Transformation when you finish a short or long rest.   Fighting Style At 2nd level, you adopt a style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.   Archery You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.   Dueling When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.   Great Weapon Fighting When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.   Two-Weapon Fighting When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.   Spellcasting Starting at 2nd level, you can summon a magical item called a bonded device. This device is a unique tool that is capable of channeling the power within you into the material realm in the shape of spells. See the end of the class description for the masked hero spell list.   Your Bonded Device The spells that you cast are all channeled through the focal point that is your bonded device. With this magical tool, you can shape the energy within you to bolster both your allies - and yourself - in the heat of battle with a variety of spells.   Summoning a Device. To summon a bonded device - or in the case that you lose it - you can choose to perform a special 1-hour ritual over the course of a short rest to summon a bonded device.   This process costs 30 GP, which represents the raw materials that you require in order to construct the device's physical form. At the end of the ritual, your bonded device appears at your feet.   The Device's Appearance. How your bonded device appears upon summoning can range from the mundane to the extravagant. It could be in the shape of a belt with various trinkets inserted into it, a colourful arm-brace with several magical symbols and icons, or even an intricate, colourful wand with arcane runes engraved into it. How it looks is based completely on what you desire upon summoning it.                                                                                               Bonded Device You know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the masked hero spell list at the end of the class description. These spells - as well as every other masked hero spell that you can learn later on - can only be cast while your bonded device is on your person.   If your bonded device remains more than 5 feet away from you for more than 1 minute - or if you die - it disappears, and would need to be replaced by another bonded device.   The Spells Known column of the masked hero table shows when you learn more spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have.   Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the spells you know and replace it with another spell from the masked hero spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.   Spell Slots The masked hero table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these masked hero 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 healing word and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast healing word using either slot.   Spellcasting Ability Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your masked hero spells, as your ability to attune to the raw energy within you is what shapes your spells into a variety of effects. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a masked hero spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.   Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier   Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier   Spellcasting Focus You can use your bonded device as a spellcasting focus for your masked hero spells. To use a bonded device in this way, it must be held in hand, worn visibly, or borne on a shield.   A Hero to One, Villain to Another Despite the popular image of a heroic defender of justice, one does not have to be of good - or even neutral alignment - to be a masked hero.   A masked hero is simply a steadfast warrior that is determined to protect any ally on the battlefield, their unwavering will driving them to defeat those that stand in the way of their ideals and his goals.   Regardless of one's beliefs, a masked hero's powers is fueled purely by the unbreakable spirit within them, granting abilities unlike any other.   Deflective Strike At 2nd level, you can intercept enemy attacks meant for your companions. Once per round, when a friendly creature that you can see within 30 feet of you is hit by an attack, you can choose to teleport to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of that creature to make one special melee weapon attack.   You may only make this attack with either a melee weapon or an unarmed strike, and you must make this special attack before the triggering attack deals any damage.   This special attack also deals no damage, but if your attack roll is equal to - or higher - than the opposing attack roll, the triggering attack is deflected, and neither of the attacks deal any damage.   Otherwise, the triggering attack instantly deals damage to you instead of the friendly creature, and the damage you take is reduced by an amount equal to 5 + half your masked hero level (rounded up). You can use this feature as long as you aren't blinded, frightened or incapacitated.   After using this feature, you may only attack once, instead of twice, when you take the Attack action on your next turn. If you are able to attack three times, instead of twice, whenever you take the Attack action, you may only attack twice instead.   You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (a minimum of once). Whenever you finish a long rest, you regain all expended uses.   At 3rd level, you can choose to use Deflective Strike when you are hit by an attack. When you use Deflective Strike this way, you do not teleport, and you can only attempt to deflect the triggering attack. If the attack still deals damage to you, the damage you receive is reduced as shown above.   Heroic Decree At 3rd level, you dedicate yourself to a decree that represents your idea of justice, while also granting you new abilities as a result of your unwavering faith. You may choose the Decree of Retribution, the Decree of Preservation, the Decree of Salvation, the Decree of Conviction, or the Decree of Execution, all detailed at the end of the class description.   Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 11th, and 15th level.   Ability Score Improvement 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.   Triumphant Armaments Beginning at 5th level, you can attack with your heroic armament twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.   Steadfast Resolve Starting at 5th level, your attunement with your heroic vitality allows you to regain bits of your fighting strength in the most dire of situations. Whenever you finish a short rest, you can choose to recover an amount of Deflective Strike's expended uses equal to half your Wisdom modifier (rounded up).   Enhanced Transformation Starting at 6th level, your transformed state has achieved its next tier of power. Choose one of the following options to add onto your Masked Transformation's benefits:   Banner of Victory. You generate an aura that extends 5 feet from you in every direction - but not through total cover - while transformed. Whenever an enemy creature starts its turn within this aura, they take force damage equal to your proficiency bonus. In addition, when a friendly creature that you can see within 15 feet of you deals damage to an enemy creature with a weapon attack, you can use your reaction to grant a bonus to the damage dealt by that attack equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one).   Heroic Seals. You learn three cantrips: guidance and two other cantrips of your choice from the cleric spell list. These cantrips count as masked hero cantrips for you, and Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for them. While transformed, and while your bonded device is on your person, you can cast them at will. In addition, you can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, up to a distance of 30 feet.   Providence Mantle. While transformed, wielding a shield increases your Armor Class. In addition, whenever you hit an enemy creature on your turn with a melee weapon attack, you can use a bonus action to make one melee weapon attack with a shield that you are wielding in one hand. Your shield counts as a weapon that you are proficient in. On a hit, your shield deals force damage equal to 1d4 + your proficiency bonus.   Rending Gauntlets. Any weapon attack you make with a heroic armament ignores all resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. In addition, when you hit an enemy creature with a weapon attack, and that creature has dealt damage to you since the end of your last turn, you can choose to deal extra force damage equal to your proficiency bonus. You can deal this damage only once per turn.   Vitality Plating. Whenever you transform on your turn as a bonus action, you gain temporary hit points equal to 4 + your proficiency bonus. These temporary hit points last until they are depleted, or until the end of your transformed state. In addition, you can add an extra d4 to any Constitution saving throw that you make to maintain concentration on a spell when you take damage.   At 14th level, and again at 18th level, you can choose one additional Enhanced Transformation option. You cannot take the same option more than once.   Limit-Break At 10th level, you can go beyond the limits of your abilities to attain superhuman strength and agility, causing your body to break apart as you momentarily push your transformed state to the peak of its potential.   Whenever you transform on your turn as a bonus action, you can also choose to suffer damage equal to your character level at the same time. Afterwards, you can attack with your heroic armament three times, instead of twice, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn, and your speed increases by 15 feet.   This superhuman state lasts for 1 minute, and ends early if you are reduced to 0 hit points, or die. Afterwards, at the start of your next turn, your transformed state ends early, and you suffer one level of exhaustion.   Zenith Armaments At 20th level, you can use an action on your turn to elevate a heroic armament that are you are wielding into its ultimate form, granting your armament the following properties:   Any attack roll you make with a zenith armament is a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 on the d20. An enemy creature that receives damage from your zenith armament has disadvantage on any attack roll that isn't made against you until the end of its next turn. Once on each of your turns, when your zenith armament is more than 5 feet away from you, you can command it to return to your hand, but only if that hand is a free hand. A zenith armament lasts for 1 minute, and ends early if you die. Afterwards, your zenith armament reverts back into a heroic armament, and you require a long rest before you can use this feature again.   Heroic Decree As the role of a masked hero is to be enigmatic avenger that fights across the realm, their position as vigilantes puts them above the very law that they may - or may not - fight for. Thus, whenever these heroes appear on the battlefield, their actions wield a sense of authority unlike any other, as they answer only to themselves. When such conviction is combined with an unwavering faith in their ideals, new powers will manifest and shape how these heroes carry out their idea of justice .

Starting Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: Scale mail, a shield and a martial melee weapon (a) two handaxes or (b) a shortbow and 20 arrows (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack

Spellcasting

Starting at 2nd level, you can summon a magical item called a bonded device. This device is a unique tool that is capable of channeling the power within you into the material realm in the shape of spells. See the end of the class description for the masked hero spell list.   Spell Slots The masked hero table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these masked hero 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 healing word and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast healing word using either slot.   Spellcasting Ability Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your masked hero spells, as your ability to attune to the raw energy within you is what shapes your spells into a variety of effects. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a masked hero spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.   Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier   Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier   Spellcasting Focus You can use your bonded device as a spellcasting focus for your masked hero spells. To use a bonded device in this way, it must be held in hand, worn visibly, or borne on a shield.

Subclass Options

The Decree of Salvation The Decree of Salvation brings heroes that shall light a path to a brighter future. With the assistance of magical familiars and spiritual weaponry, these masked heroes seek to bring hope to wherever they go, all while bestowing an invigorating energy that their souls are capable of manifesting at will.   Decree Magic Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Salvation Spells table. The spell counts as a masked hero spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of masked hero spells you know.   Salvation Spells Masked Hero level Spell 3rd sanctuary 5th spiritual weapon 9th hypnotic pattern 13th banishment 17th wall of force Servant of Miracles When you select this decree at 3rd level, you gain the ability to call upon otherwordly creatures. You gain proficiency in the Animal Handling skill if you don't already have it.   In addition, you learn the find familiar spell, and while your bonded device is on your person, you can cast it as a ritual. The spell doesn’t count against your number of spells known.   At 15th level, as an action on your turn, you can merge your familiar if it is within 30 feet of you with a bonded device that is on your person. You then gain a bonus to your masked hero spell-save DC equal to half your Constitution modifier while your device is on your person. After 1 hour has passed - or in the case you lose your device - your familiar reappears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you while your device disappears, requiring you to replace it with another one.   Soul Charge At 3rd level, after using Deflective Strike, you generate raw, divine energy. This radiant energy lasts until the end of your next turn, and you can store only one of these within you at a time. As a bonus action on your turn, you can expend this raw energy to choose one creature that you can see within 30 feet of you. That creature gains one Soul Charge, which equals to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one).   Once within the next 5 minutes, that creature can add this Soul Charge to one saving throw it makes. That creature can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use the Soul Charge, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. Once a Soul Charge is expended, it is lost. A creature can have only one Soul Charge at a time.   You may choose to expend a masked hero spell slot when granting a Soul Charge to choose an additional number of creatures equal to the slot's level, to a maximum of three additional creatures that you can see within 30 feet of you.   Spiritual Emissary At 7th level, you learn the animal messenger spell, and while your bonded device is on your person, you can cast it as a ritual. The spell doesn’t count against your number of spells known, and whenever you cast this spell, you can choose your familiar if you can see it within range to deliver the message. Your familiar must in the animal form of either a bat, hawk, owl, or raven in order for you to do this.   Decree Enhancements Starting at 11th level, you gain the following benefit for your Masked Transformation:   Radiant Counterattack. When an enemy creature within your reach makes an attack against a target other than you, you can use your reaction to make one weapon attack against the attacking creature. If the attack hits, all damage dealt by that attack becomes radiant damage. You cannot use this feature and Deflective Strike within the same turn.   Divine Beacon At 15th level, you can use your heroic soul to call upon divine assistance. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can choose one of the spells you know and replace it with another spell from the masked hero spell list. The replacement spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots. To do this, make an ability check using your masked hero spellcasting ability. The DC equals 10 + the spell’s level, and on a success, you replace one of the spells you know with the new spell.