The Bone Grinder
Iron Kingdoms
The Bone Grinder
The bone grinders draw power from the immediate flow of life and death that surrounds them in nature. They craft totems and weapons from slain creatures by manipulating components in a twisted alchemy capable of powerful effects. Bone grinders can often be found on a battlefield, at first in the front lines using their strange and bloody weaponry and then, afterward, picking through the fallen for choice pieces. The bone grinder’s art is a synthesis of alchemy and magic. They are as aware of the properties of the natural world as any alchemist would be of the properties of alchemical acid or blasting powder. With this knowledge, they mix a strange dark magic, unlike any studied by the mystics of the Iron Kingdoms. The results are a strange combination of magic and science that combine the power of mysticism with the reliability and function of alchemy and enchantment.
HOW THEY PLAY
Bone Grinders are similar to Alchemists in many ways, they harvest and collect ingredients to simulate the effects of various spells but also borrow from the Artificers in their ability to enchant, albeit temporarily, weapons and armor. Instead potions or gadgets, the Bone Grinder crafts various Talismans from the meat and bones of various creatures, items that will naturally decay over time. These Talismans can be created very quickly (2d8 + 4 minutes for 1st level Talismans, adding an additional 1d4 for each spell level above 1st), unlike the potions of Alchemists, but they will rot away within a week unlike the near indefinite lifespan of magical potions.
Bone Grinders can use their Talismans to recreate the affects of any 1st thru 5th level spells from the Cleric or Druid spell list. You can use parts from creatures to also imbue various pieces of equipment with temporary enchantments (2d4 + your proficiency bonus hours) that gift them an ability from that creature, such as resistance to poison, a climbing speed, a +1 to attack and damage or darkvision.
BONE GRINDER SPELLS
Cantrips (0 Level)
Acid Splash,
Dancing Lights,
Decompose,
Guidance,
Mending,
Poison Spray,
Primal Savagery,
Spare the Dying,
Toll the Dead
1st Level
Absorb Elements,
Acid Stream,
Balance of Nature,
Bane,
Blood Poisoning,
Cloak of Fear,
Detect Magic,
Detect Poison and Disease,
False Life,
Grease,
Hex,
Inflict Wounds,
Poisoned Gift,
Ray of Sickness,
Tasha's Caustic Brew
2nd Level
Accelerate Rot,
Affliction,
Aid,
Augury,
Barkskin,
Blindness/Deafness,
Darkvision,
Enhance Ability,
Gentle Repose,
Lesser Resoration,
Melf's Acid Arrow,
Parasite,
Protection from Poison,
Ray of Enfeeblement,
Spider Climb
3rd Level
Bestow Curse,
Dispel Magic,
Fear,
Feign Death,
Life Transference,
Remove Curse,
Stinking Cloud,
Vampiric Touch
4th Level
Baleful Howl,
Blight,
Charm Monster,
Crippling Grasp,
Poison Vortex,
Sickening Radiance,
Vitriolic Sphere
5th Level
Antilife Shell,
Autumn’s Decay,
Cloudkill,
Contagion,
Enervation,
Hold Monster,
Insect Plague
hit dice:
d8
hit points at 1st level:
8 + Constitution modifier
hit points at higher levels:
d8 + Constitution modifier
armor proficiencies:
Light Armor, Medium Armor
weapon proficiencies:
All simple weapons
tools:
Bone Grinder's kit, cook's utensils
saving throws:
Constitution, Intelligence
skills:
Choose two from Arcana, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival
starting equipment:
• (a) any simple melee weapon, (b) a staff, or (c) a sling
• Cook’s utensils
• A bone grinder’s kit and any one common bone grinder talisman
• Leather armor and an explorer’s pack
• (a) any simple melee weapon, (b) a staff, or (c) a sling
• Cook’s utensils
• A bone grinder’s kit and any one common bone grinder talisman
• Leather armor and an explorer’s pack
spellcasting:
TOOLS REQUIRED You produce your bone grinder spell effects through your creations. You must have a spellcasting focus—specifically, a bone grinder talisman, bone grinder’s kit, or cook’s utensils— in hand when you cast any spell with this Spellcasting feature. CANTRIPS At 1st level, you know two cantrips of your choice from the bone grinder spell list. You learn additional bone grinder cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Bone Grinder table. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the bone grinder cantrips you know and replace it with another cantrip from the bone grinder spell list. PREPARING AND CASTING SPELLS The Bone Grinder table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these 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. You prepare the list of bone grinder spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the bone grinder spell list. When you do so, choose a number of bone grinder spells equal to your Intelligence modifier + half your bone grinder level, rounded down (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For example, if you are a 5th-level bone grinder, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With an Intelligence of 14, your list of prepared spells can include four spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell inflict wounds, you can cast it using a 1stlevel or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn’t remove it from your list of prepared spells. You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of bone grinder spells requires time spent studying the flesh, bones, and organs you harvest as ingredients: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list. SPELLCASTING ABILITY Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your bone grinder spells, so you use your Intelligence whenever a bone grinder spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a bone grinder spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one. Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier RITUAL CASTING You can cast a bone grinder spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell prepared.
TOOLS REQUIRED You produce your bone grinder spell effects through your creations. You must have a spellcasting focus—specifically, a bone grinder talisman, bone grinder’s kit, or cook’s utensils— in hand when you cast any spell with this Spellcasting feature. CANTRIPS At 1st level, you know two cantrips of your choice from the bone grinder spell list. You learn additional bone grinder cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Bone Grinder table. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the bone grinder cantrips you know and replace it with another cantrip from the bone grinder spell list. PREPARING AND CASTING SPELLS The Bone Grinder table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these 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. You prepare the list of bone grinder spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the bone grinder spell list. When you do so, choose a number of bone grinder spells equal to your Intelligence modifier + half your bone grinder level, rounded down (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For example, if you are a 5th-level bone grinder, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With an Intelligence of 14, your list of prepared spells can include four spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell inflict wounds, you can cast it using a 1stlevel or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn’t remove it from your list of prepared spells. You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of bone grinder spells requires time spent studying the flesh, bones, and organs you harvest as ingredients: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list. SPELLCASTING ABILITY Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your bone grinder spells, so you use your Intelligence whenever a bone grinder spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a bone grinder spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one. Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier RITUAL CASTING You can cast a bone grinder spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell prepared.
class features:
BONE GRINDING At 1st level, you learn how to wring magical power from the bones, blood, and tissues of creatures. To use this ability, you must have a bone grinder’s kit or cook’s utensils in hand and ingredients that you have harvested from a creature’s body. The exact ingredients depend on the specific recipe but usually include a major organ or appendage, a pint of the creature’s blood, and so on. You can use these ingredients to create talismans. Unless otherwise stated, any creature that can stomach it, can use your talismans. If a talisman requires a save, use your spell save DC. HARVESTING INGREDIENTS Harvesting an ingredient requires the carcass of a Small or larger creature that has been dead no longer than a day, a bone grinder’s kit or cook’s utensils, and 10 minutes of work dissecting and processing the ingredient. Harvesting an ingredient from a creature requires a successful Wisdom (Survival) check with a DC equal to 10 + half the creature’s challenge rating. If the check fails, any useful ingredients the creature could produce are destroyed. Harvested ingredients remain useful for 2d4 days, rolled at the time of harvesting, after which they begin to decompose and lose their arcane power. CREATING TALISMANS Creating talismans is a subtle process, the difficulty of which varies based on the complexity of the work. In order to create a talisman, you need the relevant ingredients and tools. For tools, a bone grinder’s kit is optimal, but other tools, such as cook’s utensils and sewing supplies, can be used instead. The difficulty of creating a talisman depends on its complexity. A Talisman can recreate the affects of 1st thru 5th level spells from the Cleric or Druid spell list. You can use parts from creatures to also imbue various pieces of equipment with temporary enchantments (2d4 + your proficiency bonus hours) that gift them an ability from that creature, such as resistance to poison, a climbing speed, a +1 to attack and damage or darkvision. It takes 2d8 + 4 minutes and an Intelligence DC 10 check to create a Talisman imbued with a 1st level spell and add an additional 1d8 minutes and +3 DC check for each spell level after that. Because of how quickly a Talisman can be created, a Bone Grinder can fashion a 1st level Talisman during a short rest. TOOL EXPERTISE Starting at 2nd level, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses any of the tool proficiencies you gained from this class. BONE GRINDER PATH At 3rd level, you choose a path that shapes your practice of the bone grinding art. Choose the Way of Bile or the Way of Bone, both detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 5th level and again at 9th 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. If your campaign uses the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead. HARVESTER At 6th level, a keen eye and deft hands helps you make light work of most carcasses. You gain proficiency in one skill from the following options: Arcana, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Religion, or Survival. BREW MASTER At 7th level, if you fail a Wisdom (Survival) check to harvest an ingredient from a creature or to craft a bone grinder talisman, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short rest before you can use it again. PRESERVATIVE At 10th level, you mystically increase the durability of the talismans you carry. While you are wearing or carrying a talisman, it takes twice as long to decay. EXPERT HARVESTER At 11th level, when you attempt to harvest a creature for which you don’t have the required skill proficiency, you can add half your proficiency bonus to the result of the roll. When you make a Harvesting check using a skill with which you are proficient, your proficiency bonus is doubled. AVID RECYCLER At 14th level, you become skilled at repurposing the ingredients you use to create talismans. As an action, you can destroy a bone grinder talisman. If you do, you gain a number of ingredients equal to the number required to create the talisman. MASTER HARVESTER At 18th level, When you make a Harvesting check using a skill with which you are proficient, you have advantage on the roll. TALISMAN LINK At 20th level, you develop a mystical connection to your talismans, which you can draw on for protection. You gain a +1 bonus to all saving throws per magic item you are currently attuned to. In addition, if you’re reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can use your reaction to destroy one of your talismans and drop to 1 hit point instead.
BONE GRINDING At 1st level, you learn how to wring magical power from the bones, blood, and tissues of creatures. To use this ability, you must have a bone grinder’s kit or cook’s utensils in hand and ingredients that you have harvested from a creature’s body. The exact ingredients depend on the specific recipe but usually include a major organ or appendage, a pint of the creature’s blood, and so on. You can use these ingredients to create talismans. Unless otherwise stated, any creature that can stomach it, can use your talismans. If a talisman requires a save, use your spell save DC. HARVESTING INGREDIENTS Harvesting an ingredient requires the carcass of a Small or larger creature that has been dead no longer than a day, a bone grinder’s kit or cook’s utensils, and 10 minutes of work dissecting and processing the ingredient. Harvesting an ingredient from a creature requires a successful Wisdom (Survival) check with a DC equal to 10 + half the creature’s challenge rating. If the check fails, any useful ingredients the creature could produce are destroyed. Harvested ingredients remain useful for 2d4 days, rolled at the time of harvesting, after which they begin to decompose and lose their arcane power. CREATING TALISMANS Creating talismans is a subtle process, the difficulty of which varies based on the complexity of the work. In order to create a talisman, you need the relevant ingredients and tools. For tools, a bone grinder’s kit is optimal, but other tools, such as cook’s utensils and sewing supplies, can be used instead. The difficulty of creating a talisman depends on its complexity. A Talisman can recreate the affects of 1st thru 5th level spells from the Cleric or Druid spell list. You can use parts from creatures to also imbue various pieces of equipment with temporary enchantments (2d4 + your proficiency bonus hours) that gift them an ability from that creature, such as resistance to poison, a climbing speed, a +1 to attack and damage or darkvision. It takes 2d8 + 4 minutes and an Intelligence DC 10 check to create a Talisman imbued with a 1st level spell and add an additional 1d8 minutes and +3 DC check for each spell level after that. Because of how quickly a Talisman can be created, a Bone Grinder can fashion a 1st level Talisman during a short rest. TOOL EXPERTISE Starting at 2nd level, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses any of the tool proficiencies you gained from this class. BONE GRINDER PATH At 3rd level, you choose a path that shapes your practice of the bone grinding art. Choose the Way of Bile or the Way of Bone, both detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 5th level and again at 9th 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. If your campaign uses the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead. HARVESTER At 6th level, a keen eye and deft hands helps you make light work of most carcasses. You gain proficiency in one skill from the following options: Arcana, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Religion, or Survival. BREW MASTER At 7th level, if you fail a Wisdom (Survival) check to harvest an ingredient from a creature or to craft a bone grinder talisman, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short rest before you can use it again. PRESERVATIVE At 10th level, you mystically increase the durability of the talismans you carry. While you are wearing or carrying a talisman, it takes twice as long to decay. EXPERT HARVESTER At 11th level, when you attempt to harvest a creature for which you don’t have the required skill proficiency, you can add half your proficiency bonus to the result of the roll. When you make a Harvesting check using a skill with which you are proficient, your proficiency bonus is doubled. AVID RECYCLER At 14th level, you become skilled at repurposing the ingredients you use to create talismans. As an action, you can destroy a bone grinder talisman. If you do, you gain a number of ingredients equal to the number required to create the talisman. MASTER HARVESTER At 18th level, When you make a Harvesting check using a skill with which you are proficient, you have advantage on the roll. TALISMAN LINK At 20th level, you develop a mystical connection to your talismans, which you can draw on for protection. You gain a +1 bonus to all saving throws per magic item you are currently attuned to. In addition, if you’re reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can use your reaction to destroy one of your talismans and drop to 1 hit point instead.
subclass options:
BONE GRINDER PATH: THE WAY OF BILE A bone grinder who chooses the Way of Bile has developed an instinct for the toxins and poisons that fill the natural world and can use them to deadly effect. MEAT FUELED Starting at 3rd level, you learn to wring arcane power out of any creature’s flesh. As a bonus action, you can destroy one or more of your ingredients in order to cast a spell of 1st level or higher that you have prepared. You must destroy a number of ingredients equal to the level of the spell you want to cast. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest. WHAT DOESN’T KILL YOU Starting at 5th level, you have developed a deep knowledge of many natural toxins through constant exposure to their biological and mystical natures. You are immune to the poisoned condition and have immunity to poison damage, and your body produces toxic sweat. A creature that grapples you or otherwise contacts your skin must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or take 1d4 poison damage. The damage increases to 1d6 at 9th level, and 1d8 at 15th level. MADE TO ORDER At 9th level, you have become an expert in the subtle ways in which different types of toxins affect different creatures. When you roll poison/acid damage for a spell you cast or an attack you make, you can reroll any roll of 1 on the poison damage die but must use the new roll, even if it is another 1. Additionally, as a bonus action, you can cause your attacks to ignore one creature’s resistance to poison/acid damage. NAME YOUR POISON At 15th level, your digestive system has become a bubbling brew of noxious bile that you can spew forth as a weapon. As a bonus action, you can consume one ingredient to cast Melf's acid arrow without expending a spell slot. You can cast Melf's acid arrow at higher levels by consuming additional ingredients at one ingredient per slot level above 2nd. BONE GRINDER PATH: THE WAY OF BONE The Way of Bone calls to bone grinders who embrace the primal energies of the wild. These fearsome warriors invest their weapons and bodies with the magic of their environment to defend their tribe, harvesting the vitality of creatures who walked the land before them in order to empower themselves in battle. MIGHT OF BLOOD AND BONE Starting at 3rd level, you can destroy one or more of your ingredients in order to increase the brutality of your strikes. As a bonus action, you can consume one ingredient to deal an extra 1d4 weapon damage on your melee attacks for 1 minute. The extra damage increases to 1d6 at 9th level and 1d8 at 15th level. EXTRA ATTACK Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice instead of once whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. DISMEMBER Starting at 9th level, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can immediately gain one ingredient from the creature. This ability does not affect constructs. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your proficiencey modifier and regain all uses after a long rest. MEAT SHIELD Starting at 15th level, when you are attacked by a ranged weapon or spell attack, you can use your reaction to redirect the attack to any creature that you can see within 10 feet of you to take the damage dealt by that attack. You can use this feature a number of times equal to half your proficiency bonus and regain all uses after a long rest.
BONE GRINDER PATH: THE WAY OF BILE A bone grinder who chooses the Way of Bile has developed an instinct for the toxins and poisons that fill the natural world and can use them to deadly effect. MEAT FUELED Starting at 3rd level, you learn to wring arcane power out of any creature’s flesh. As a bonus action, you can destroy one or more of your ingredients in order to cast a spell of 1st level or higher that you have prepared. You must destroy a number of ingredients equal to the level of the spell you want to cast. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest. WHAT DOESN’T KILL YOU Starting at 5th level, you have developed a deep knowledge of many natural toxins through constant exposure to their biological and mystical natures. You are immune to the poisoned condition and have immunity to poison damage, and your body produces toxic sweat. A creature that grapples you or otherwise contacts your skin must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or take 1d4 poison damage. The damage increases to 1d6 at 9th level, and 1d8 at 15th level. MADE TO ORDER At 9th level, you have become an expert in the subtle ways in which different types of toxins affect different creatures. When you roll poison/acid damage for a spell you cast or an attack you make, you can reroll any roll of 1 on the poison damage die but must use the new roll, even if it is another 1. Additionally, as a bonus action, you can cause your attacks to ignore one creature’s resistance to poison/acid damage. NAME YOUR POISON At 15th level, your digestive system has become a bubbling brew of noxious bile that you can spew forth as a weapon. As a bonus action, you can consume one ingredient to cast Melf's acid arrow without expending a spell slot. You can cast Melf's acid arrow at higher levels by consuming additional ingredients at one ingredient per slot level above 2nd. BONE GRINDER PATH: THE WAY OF BONE The Way of Bone calls to bone grinders who embrace the primal energies of the wild. These fearsome warriors invest their weapons and bodies with the magic of their environment to defend their tribe, harvesting the vitality of creatures who walked the land before them in order to empower themselves in battle. MIGHT OF BLOOD AND BONE Starting at 3rd level, you can destroy one or more of your ingredients in order to increase the brutality of your strikes. As a bonus action, you can consume one ingredient to deal an extra 1d4 weapon damage on your melee attacks for 1 minute. The extra damage increases to 1d6 at 9th level and 1d8 at 15th level. EXTRA ATTACK Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice instead of once whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. DISMEMBER Starting at 9th level, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can immediately gain one ingredient from the creature. This ability does not affect constructs. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your proficiencey modifier and regain all uses after a long rest. MEAT SHIELD Starting at 15th level, when you are attacked by a ranged weapon or spell attack, you can use your reaction to redirect the attack to any creature that you can see within 10 feet of you to take the damage dealt by that attack. You can use this feature a number of times equal to half your proficiency bonus and regain all uses after a long rest.
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