Figments

Figments are walking dreams and nightmares given physical shape in the Waking World.

Figments are humanoid in nature, but their appearances vary wildly. Their forms are shaped from dreams and nightmares, so while they typically look like other humanoids, they have more exaggerated features. One figment might look like a cell-shaded dwarf, and another might look like a human with barnacles on their body.

The Dreamscape

The Dreamscape is the plane of dreams, a separate level of reality that is constantly in flux. It is a place of metaphors and themes, where nothing is as simple as it initially appears.

Most of the Dreamscape is populated by the thoughts and dreams of creatures in the Waking World, but there are creatures that are born and live in the Dreamscape, like figments.

When a creature in the Waking World dreams, they create a dream bubble in the Dreamscape that exists while they dream.

Figments can travel between these dream bubbles, occasionally settling in permanent bubbles or oases in the dreamscape.

An individual creature’s dream bubbles appear in the same region of the Dreamscape. The inhabitants of the Dreamscape adapt to the themes of the local dream bubbles, such as twisting hallways or overgrown forests. The space between bubbles is barren or devoid of features, manifesting as empty deserts, open oceans, or remote highways.

A Form in Flux

Within the Dreamscape, figments have no set form. They change their appearance to adapt to or take advantage of the dream bubbles they come across. As they grow older, they find forms that appeal to them more than others. These are the forms they adopt on a more permanent basis.

Outside of the Dreamscape, however, changing one’s form is much more difficult. Some figments still retain this ability, but others are stuck in the last form they had within the Dreamscape.

An unchanging existence is difficult for figments to acclimate to, and they often find the Waking World too literal.

Waking Up

Figments are rare within the Waking World. There are uncommon spells and portals that allow for travel, but most figments are stranded accidentally. When a dreamer wakes, their dream bubble collapses and fades. Occasionally, a figment gets dragged along with the collapsing dream and is pulled into the Waking World.

The Waking World brings many strange new experiences to figments. They now have the ability to sleep and visit the Dreamscape as a Dreamer, which they couldn’t do before. Figments also identify each other within the Dreamscape by their presence or nature instead of their physical appearance, which doesn’t work in the Waking World. While the Waking World is filled with fun new experiences, it also takes time to acclimate to its relatively static nature.

Figment Names

Figments claim names based on their nature or an abstract concept they embrace and sometimes incorporate a favored form. A common naming structure involves an adjective and a noun.

Example Names: Elegant Tiger, Mysterious Messenger, A Lover’s Gentle Kiss, A Twinkle in the Eye, Aggressive Autumn, That Which Goes Bump in the Night, Evasive Rainfall, Soothing Spider, Young Vanguard

Figment Traits

You gain the following traits as a Figment.

• Ability Score Increase. You gain a +2 and +1 bonus to two different ability scores of your choice, or +1 to three different ones.
• Age. Figments are ageless. They will not die from old age.
• Size. Figments come in many shapes and sizes. Your size is either Small or Medium.
• Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet if you are Small, or 30 feet if you are Medium..
• Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice.
• Waking Dreamer (Minor Feature). You don’t need to sleep, and you can’t be magically put to sleep. You can sleep if you want, but you don’t suffer any exhaustion from lack of sleep. If you do sleep, you gain the benefits of a long rest after 4 hours of rest instead of 8.

Major Features

Choose two of the following major features. You can exchange one major feature for two additional minor features. You can only choose one feature with the (Magic) tag.

• Dream Magic (Magic). You know the thaumaturgy cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast either the sleep or fear spell once with this trait, chosen when you reach 3rd level, and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast either the blur or calm emotions spell once with this trait, chosen when you reach 5th level, and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. You don’t require material components for these spells. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
• Flux Form. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can change your physical appearance. Your appearance must be humanoid and can’t be an obvious copy of another individual, but otherwise you can look like anything you desire. If you change your size to Small, your speed becomes 25 feet. If you change your size to Medium, your speed becomes 30 feet.
• Frightful Visage. You can call upon the power of nightmares to take on a fearsome appearance. As an action, each creature of your choice within 30 feet of you that can see you must make a Wisdom saving throw. The DC is 8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus. On a failed save, a target becomes frightened of you for 1 minute. If the frightened creature takes any damage, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a successful save. After you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest.
• Night Walker. As an action, your vision enters the Dreamscape. While there, you can see and hear the dreams of nearby creatures. While viewing the Dreamscape, you can use an action to influence the dream of a dreaming creature within 30 feet. You must succeed on a Charisma check against the target’s passive Insight. On a success, you can alter the dream how you see fit. The GM will decide if there are any complications for the dream, but in most cases the worst direct effect is the target wakes up. While viewing the Dreamscape, you can’t see or hear anything in the physical world around you. Your vision lasts for up to 1 hour, or until you end the vision as an action. Once you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Minor Features

Choose one of the following minor features, or three if you only chose one major feature.

• Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
• Dream Actor. You gain proficiency with the Deception skill.
• Dream Guardian. When you sleep, you can protect the dreams of your nearby allies, ensuring a good night’s sleep. Any creatures of your choice that sleep within 100 feet of you get a rest unburdened by nightmares, even in an environment that would make sleep difficult, like in the back of a wagon or on a turbulent ship. However, you are aware of their dreams when doing so. You cannot protect the dream of an unwilling creature, and you don’t have the ability to alter the dreams beyond fending off nightmares. You are immune to the dream spell.
• Fluent. You can speak, read, and write two additional languages of your choice.
• Natural Weaponry. You possess the natural weaponry of a nightmare creature, such as claws, fangs, or a tail. These are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage (depending on the type of weaponry) equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the normal bludgeoning damage for an unarmed attack. Your natural weapons are considered to have the light and finesse weapon properties. They are not weapons, but attacks with them are considered weapon attacks. This means that you can use your natural weapons for effects like the paladin’s divine smite, but feats like dual wielder do not apply the AC bonus.
• Nightmare Form. You gain proficiency with the Intimidation skill.
• Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
• Trained Tools. You have proficiency in two tools of your choice.