Cantripothurge

You are drawn to understand the true nature of cantrips. While many spellcasters dismiss cantrips as “0-level spells,” and claim they are so minor that it takes little effort to ingrain them deeply so they can be cast endlessly without loss of energy, you believe cantrips are something very much different than “minor spells.” To you, cantrips are a different thing from spells altogether, instead representing a form of eldritch power than can be permanently gained by altering your connection to the power of magic, as fundamental a change as if you grew wings and learned to fly.

Thus while other spellcasters who study magic pass over cantrips after learning a few—in favor of studying more “powerful” spells, and even innate spellcasters mediate on powers beyond the cantrips they access early in their careers, you seek to master cantrips alone, ignore other forms of spells as a different, less-worthy form of magic. As you come to deeply understand the power and form of cantrips not only do you find ways to expand their power, you begin to manipulate cantrip energies with techniques unimagined by other spellcasters.

Role

A cantripothurge is built for the marathon, rather than the sprint. They provide steady, flexible magic support without tiring or complaining about the need to constantly take rests. While their magics seem minor to some, cantripothurges maintain than quantity has a quality all its own.

Alignment: A cantripothurge may be of any alignment.

Starting Wealth: 6d4 × 10 gp

Table 1-1: Cantripothurge

Level	Proficiency	Features	Cantrips	Incantations
1	+2	Cantrips, cantripothurgy specialization	4
2	+2	Incantations	5	2
3	+2	Eldritch sideboard	5	2
4	+2	Ability Score Improvement	6	3
5	+3	Expanded cantrips (1)	6	3
6	+3	Cantripothurgy specialization improvement	7	3
7	+3	Eldritch sideboard (2)	7	4
8	+3	Ability Score Improvement	8	4
9	+4	Quick cantrip	8	5
10	+4	Cantripothurgy specialization improvement	8	5
11	+4	9	5	4
12	+4	Ability Score Improvement	9	6
13	+5	Expanded cantrips (3)	9	6
14	+5	Cantripothurgy specialization improvement	10	7
15	+5	Expanded cantrips (4)	10	7
16	+5	Ability Score Improvement	10	7
17	+6	11	8	4
18	+6	Expanded cantrips (5)	11	8
19	+6	11	9	4
20	+6	Expanded cantrips (6)	12	9

Class Features

As a cantripothurge, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

• Hit Dice: 1d8 per cantripothurge level
• Hit Points At 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5)+ your Constitution modifier per cantripothurge level after 1st.

Proficiencies

• Armor: Light armor
• Weapons: Simple and martial weapons
• Tools: None
• Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
• Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Nature, and Religion.

Cantrips

You begin play knowing 4 cantrips of your choice from any spell list. You learn additional cantrips when you gain levels, as indicated on Table 1 – Cantripothurge. Your cantrips have a spell level equal to half your class level.

Cantripothurgy Specialization

Your research into the deeper and greater understanding of cantrips has led you to specialize in an area where commonly existing cantrips have no yet reached. You gain a new special cantrip at 1st level, selecting augmentation cantripothurgy, barrier cantripothurgy, or illusion cantripothurgy. Your cantripothurgy grows in power at 6th, 10th, and 14th level

Cantripothurgy

You have focused on developing cantrips that can augment yourself or your allies, an oft-overlooked area of cantrip research. You gain additional spells that function as cantrips for you, though they are considered to be cast using a spell slot with a level equal to 1/3 your level. You can concentrate on one augmentation cantrip in addition to concentrating on any one spell from another source.

Select two of the following spells to gain as cantrips: bless, magic weapon, longstrider, protection from evil and good, and shield of faith.

At 6th level, you can select another spell from that list. At 10th level, you can select another spell from that list, or one from the following list: aid, barskin, enhance ability, invisibility, and spider climb. At 14th level you can select one more spell from one of the previous lists, or select one from the following list: elemental weapon, fly, and haste.

Barrier Cantripothurgy

You have learned to use a cantrip to summon one or more arcane shields that can defend your allies, and possibly hold back your foes. At 1st level you gain barrier I as a cantrip. You gain barrier II at 6th level, barrier III at 10th level, and barrier IV at 14th level. You can only have one barrier cantrip active at a time, even if you gain some way to maintain concentration on multiple spells. You can always cast a lower-level version of barrier if you wish.

Barrier I

Abjuration cantrip

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You create a floating shield-shaped plane of force that hovers within range. It lasts for the duration.

When the shield appears, you can assign it to an ally of your choice within 5 feet of the shield. As long as the ally remains adjacent to the shield, the ally gains partial cover. Until the spell ends, you can use a bonus action on each of your turns to move the shield up to 20 feet to a spot you can see and assign it to a new target.

Barrier II

Abjuration cantrip

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You create an interlocking series of floating shieldshaped planes of force that hover within range.

These form an area of up to four squares, each of which must share a side with at least one other square of this area. They last for the duration. Any ally within the area of these shields gains partial cover. A foe must succeed at a DC 10 Strength check to enter one of the shielded squares. Until the spell ends, you can use an action on each of your turns to move one square of the area to a new space, as long as after the move all squares are still sharing a side with at least one other square of the area.

Barrier III

Abjuration cantrip

Range: 60 feet This acts as barrier I, except the selected ally gains ¾ cover.

Barrier IV

Abjuration cantrip

Range: 120 feet This act as barrier II, except your area may be up to 6 squares, and the DC of the Strength check for an any to enter a square is 15.

Forceblade Cantripothurgy

You have learned to use a cantrip to summon an arcane sword that can attack your enemies. At 1st level you gain forceblade I as a cantrip. You gain forceblade II at 6th level, forceblade III at 10th level, and forceblade IV at 14th level. You can only have one forceblade cantrip active at a time, even if you gain some way to maintain concentration on multiple spells. You can always cast a lower-level version of forceblade if you wish. You gain two incantations at 2nd level, and additional incantations as you gain levels as indicated on Table 1 – Cantripothurge.

Forceblade I

Evocation cantrip

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 15 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You create a sword-shaped plane of force that hovers within range. It lasts for the duration. When the sword appears, you make a melee spell attack against a target of your choice within 5 feet of the sword. On a hit, the target takes 1d8 force damage. Until the spell ends, you can use an action on each of your turns to move the sword up to 20 feet to a spot you can see and repeat this attack against the same target or a different one.

Forceblade II

Evocation cantrip

Range: 30 feet

The forceblade now does 1d10 force damage. This otherwise functions as forceblade I.

Forceblade III

Evocation cantrip

Range: 45 feet

The forceblade now does 2d10 force damage. This otherwise functions as forceblade II.

Forceblade IV

Evocation cantrip

Range: 60 feet

It is now a bonus action on each of your turns to move the sword up to 20 feet to a spot you can see and repeat the forceblade attack. The blade now does 3d10 force damage. This otherwise functions as forceblade III.

Dual Incantation

You can use two incantations in the same round (either two appropriate incantations on the same cantrip or, if you can cast 2 or more cantrips in a round, 1 incantation on 2 different cantrips).

Incantations

In your ongoing study of the eldritch power of cantrips, you have discovered there are words, gestures, and even thoughts you can combine with the standard means of creating a cantrip that causes the cantrip to act differently or grow in power. Known as incantations, these are strong evidence for your claim that cantrips and spells are inherently different things. You can use only a single incantation on a single cantrip each round, unless you gain dual incantation.

Eldritch Incantation

When you cast a cantrip that requires an attack roll or forces a creature to make a saving throw, and at higher levels gains an additional die of damage, you do one more die of damage than the listed amount. If the cantrip can instead target additional creatures at higher level, you can target one additional creature.

Healing Incantation

When you cast a cantrip on a willing, living creature, and the cantrip does not require an attack roll or force the target to make a saving throw, the target can choose to expend 1 Hit Die to regain Hit Points equal to the value rolled on the Hit Die. Once a creature has benefited from this incantation, it cannot benefit from it again until after it takes a short rest.

Incantation of Bolting

You can have a cantrip that does damage, or that does not affect targets that make a successful saving throw against it, become a 30-foot-line (with a range of self). If the cantrip normally does damage, it does half as much damage and that amount is halved again if the target makes a Dexterity save. (No attack roll is required, even if the cantrip normally has one). If the cantrip is one that does not affect creatures that make a successful save, all targets in the line gain advantage on the save. You can select this incantation a second time, increasing the line to 60 feet.

Incantation of Admonishment

When you damage a creature with a cantrip, you can push it 10 feet directly away from you.

Incantation of Blasting

You can have a cantrip that does damage, or that does not affect targets that make a successful saving throw against it, become a 15-foot-cone (with a range of self). If the cantrip normally does damage, it does half as much damage and that amount is halved again if the target makes a Dexterity save. (No attack roll is required, even if the cantrip normally has one). If the cantrip is one that does not affect creatures that make a successful save, all targets in the cone gain advantage on the save. You can select this incantation a second time, increasing the cone to 30 feet.

Incantation of Might

When you do damage with a cantrip, you add your Wisdom modifier to the damage it deals.

Incantation of Striking

When you cast a cantrip that has a weapon as a material component and imbues that weapon with power, you can cast it on any melee weapon (if it is normally cast on a melee weapon) or ranged weapon (if it is normally cast on a ranged weapon) with which you are proficient. You can make an attack with that weapon as a bonus action, though this ends the cantrip. If you are 5th level or higher you can do this once without ending the cantrip, if 10th level or higher twice, and if 15th level or higher three times.

Lasting Incantation

When you cast a cantrip with a duration of concentration, up to 1 minute it becomes concentration up to 10 minutes. When you cast a cantrip that has a duration of 1 minute, it becomes a duration of 10 minutes.

Lingering Incantation

When you cast a cantrip that lasts until the end of your next turn, it instead lasts 1 round longer than that.

Reach Incantation

When you cast an incantation with a range of touch, you can instead cast it at a range of 30 feet.

Subtle Incantation

When you cast a cantrip you can do so without using any verbal or somatic components, and without the effect originating from you. Creatures must succeed at a Wisdom/Perception check with a DC of 15 + your proficiency bonus to realize you cast the cantrip.

Vast Incantation

When you cast a cantrip with a range expressed in feet, its range increases to the first range listed below that is greater than it’s normal range: 30 feet, 60 feet, 120 feet, 300 feet, 1,200 feet. You can select this incantation a second time, increasing the range by an additional step.

Eldritch Sideboard

You have studied hard to expand your total number of cantrips known, and have found a way to ritualistically imbue yourself with more options each day. Select three cantrips you do not know. Each day after a short rest you may select one of these cantrips to have access to as if it was a cantrip known. Any previous cantrip you have gained access to using the eldritch sideboard are lost, though you may re-select them later after a new short rest. If you ever gain one of the cantrips in your eldritch sideboard as a cantrip known, you may select a new cantrip to replace it in your eldritch sideboard.

Expanded Cantrips

You can add one of the following spells to your list of cantrips. It is considered a cantrip for all purposes when you cast it. The cantrip is considered to be using a spell slot equal to 1/3 your level.

At 5th level, you select one of these spells to gain as a cantrip.

• Comprehend languages
• Detect magic
• Detect poison and diseas.
• Disguise sel.
• Expeditious retrea.
• Faerie fir.
• Feather fal.
• Purify food and drink

At 7th level, you gain another expended cantrip, which can be taken from the previous list or those spells listed here.

• Dissonant whispers
• False life
• Feign death
• Flame blade
• Flaming sphere
• Fog cloud
• He.
• Jump
• Locate object
• Longstrider
• Ray of enfeeblement
• Shield
• Silent image

At 13th level, you gain another expended cantrip, which can be taken from the previous lists or those spells listed here.

• Alter self
• Clairvoyance
• Darkness
• Daylight

At 15th level, you gain another expended cantrip, which can be taken from the previous lists or those spells listed here.

• Alter self
• Animate objects (one object only)
• Arcane eye
• Bestow curse
• Magic missile
• Major image.
• Misty step
• Speak with Dead

Quick Cantrip

As a bonus action, you can cast a cantrip that does not require an attack roll or require a creature to make a saving throw.