The Branded

This accursed and corrupted warrior is barely more mortal than fiend, branded with a searing runic scar that taints their flesh. With this brand, acquired through torture and punishment, an Archfiend has marked them as quarry for other fiends. Bearers of the mark can tap into the fiends’ own magic, linked by this brand, to harness fiendish spells and supernatural powers. Mutated and corrupted, the Branded wield dark powers to lash out in anger and in pain as the instruments of vengeance.

Branded

Beginning at 3rd level, your brand manifests. You are marked, and fiends can sense your presence. Fiends have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks to detect you. The brand allows you to cast a limited number of spells meant for fiends.

  • Cantrips. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the warlock spell list. You learn an additional warlock cantrip of your choice at 10th level.
  • Spell Slots. The Branded table shows how many spell slots you have. The table also shows what the level each of those slots is; all of your spell slots are the same slot level. To cast one of your warlock spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a spell slot. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a short or long rest.
  • Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher. You know two 1st-level warlock spells of your choice. The Spells Known column of the Branded table shows when you learn more warlock spells of 1st level or higher. A spell you choose must be of a level no higher than what’s shown in the table’s Slot Level column for your level. Additionally, when you gain a fighter level, you can choose one of the warlock spells you know and replace it with another spell from the warlock spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots or lower.
  • Spellcasting Ability. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your warlock spells, since you learn your spells through pain and anguish. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a warlock spell you cast and when making an attack roll with a warlock spell you cast.
  • Spell Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
  • Spell Attack Modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
  • Spellcasting Focus. The brand serves as a spellcasting focus for your warlock spells.

Fiendish Insight

Starting at 7th level, you have advantage on Wisdom and Intelligence ability checks involving fiends. You also learn Abyssal or Infernal (your choice). If you already know both languages, you learn a different language of your choice.

Additionally, when you would roll a Wisdom (Survival) check to track fiends, you are considered proficient in Survival and if you roll a 14 or lower on the d20, you treat the result as a 15. When a fiend would track you with a Wisdom (Survival) check, it is considered proficient in this roll and if it would roll a 14 or lower on the d20, it treats the result as a 15.

Searing Blows

At 10th level, you can deftly mix spells and weapon attacks. When you cast a cantrip, you can make a single weapon attack as a bonus action.

In addition, being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn’t impose disadvantage on your ranged spell attack rolls if you are wielding a melee weapon.

Fiendish Speed

Starting at 15th level, when you use your Action Surge and cast a spell in the same round, you can make a single melee weapon attack as a bonus action.

Shared Mark

At 18th level, you have learned to control the dark energies inside you. As an action, you can make a weapon attack on a creature you can see within 60 feet. If you hit, you mark the creature. Whenever you take damage that does not exceed your current hit point total, the creature also takes half that damage. You gain advantage on all attack rolls to hit the marked creature and the marked creature has advantage on all attack rolls to hit you. The mark lasts until you or the marked creature drops to 0 hit points or falls unconscious. Once you successfully mark a creature, you must finish a short or long rest before marking another creature.

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