Character Classes
Adventurers are extraordinary people, driven by a thirst for excitement and into a life that others would never dare lead. They are heroes, compelled to explore the dark places of the world and take on the challenges that lesser folk can’t stand against. Class is the primary definition of what your character can do. It’s more than a profession; it’s your character’s calling. Class shapes the way you think about the world and interact with it and your relationship with other people and powers in the multiverse.
Your class gives you a variety of special features, such as a fighter’s mastery of weapons and armor, and a wizard’s spells. At low levels, your class gives you only two or three features, but as you advance in level you gain more and your existing features often improve.
Magic?
We don't use that word here.
Magic in Kaos Rhythm is most often referred to as Arcana. Although it's relatively commonplace to see small uses of it, larger and more complicated applications are pretty rare and loosely overseen by the Dannamore in human cities and lands where they have a presence. The most significant change from the Player's Handbook is that there are
no transmutation spells!
Magic-users simply do not have access to transmutation magic. Now don't go scratching out every transmutation spell from your books! Many spell effects can be replicated in other ways, so if you see a spell on your list that you'd like to use, check and see if it's included in spells that were modified for this setting. This isn't an attempt to hobble players or nerf magic-users. The setting has a unique approach to metaphysics that should be reflected in the spells and spellcasters who use them.
Roll to Cast
For every uncertain action in the game, the dice must be consulted. How , the most volatile and uncertain force of them all, eluded this requirement is a mystery.
When attempting to cast a spell of 1st level or higher…
- Roll with your Spellcassting Ability + level and meet or beat DC 10 + the spell level.
- Critical successes inflict double damage or have an increased effect.
- Critical failures fizzle and induce a roll by the DM on the super-secret Volatile Magic table.
Spells, Not Slots
We’ve all scratched our heads a few times about using and unlocking Spell Slots. In the Kaos Rhythm setting all this is stripped away. When choosing new spells at level-up, simply learn new spells as written on the appropriate class table/entry in the Player's Handbook. These are cast at their native level - no casting spells with higher level spell slots because spell slots don't exist.
This makes leveling up far more expansive for a magic user, and removes the need to track spell slots in the heat of battle. Will we still wait for wizards to choose their next spell? Yes. Yes we will.
, and have flexible access to their spells, choosing from their entire list each day. They bypass any sense of ‘learning’ as their magic is external, or beyond conceptual means.
, and have flexible access to their spells, choosing from their entire list each day. They bypass any sense of ‘learning’ as their magic is external, or beyond conceptual means.
Each day, MEMORIZE a number of spells equal to the total number of spells you'd prepare from your class table.
, and were either born with natural talent ability, or have bargained for access to their metaphysical abilities. They must choose to learn certain spells, but always have access to their entire portfolio.
At each level, LEARN the number of spells dictated by the Spells Known column in your class table. These spells do not need to be prepared each day and can essentially be cast at any time.
are scholars of arcane secrets and use their minds to comprehend and access magic. They must choose to learn certain spells, then study each morning to have access to a subset thereof.
At each level, LEARN 2 new spells of upto the highest level spell you have access to. Each day, MEMORIZE your level x2 from your learned list.
Twelve classes - listed below - are found in almost every D&D world and Kaos Rhythm is no different. The campaign setting of Kaos Rhythm changes a few features, thematically, but most classes remain essentially the same. The major changes you'll find effect magic-users and spell lists.
As with the entries in the previous article, these hightlight important differences in this setting. Some classes are essentially unchanged from the 5e Player's Handbook but may have setting specific flavour.
Barbarian
When creating a barbarian character, think about where your character comes from and his or her place in the world. Talk with your DM about an appropriate origin for your barbarian. Were you raised in the wilderness, away from the capital cities, making you an outsider to civilization? Or were you trained in channeling your rage by a mentor?
What led you to take up the adventuring life? Were you lured to settled lands by the promise of riches? Did you join forces with soldiers of those lands to face a shared threat? Did monsters or an invading horde drive you out of your homeland, making you a rootless refugee? Perhaps you were a prisoner of war, brought in chains to “civilized” lands and only now able to win your freedom. Or you might have been cast out from your people because of a crime you committed, a taboo you violated, or a coup that removed you from a position of authority.
Class Features
There are no setting specific changes to the barbarian class features.
There are no setting specific changes to the barbarian class features.
Bard
In the world Kaos, words and music are not always just vibrations of air, but can be imbued with a power all their own. The bard is a master of song, speech, and the arcana they contain. Bards say that the multiverse was spoken into existence, that the words of the gods gave it shape, and that echoes of these primordial Words of Creation still resound throughout the cosmos. The music of bards is an attempt to snatch and harness those echoes, subtly woven into their spells and powers.
Bards thrive on stories, whether those stories are true or not. Your character’s background and motivations are not as important as the stories that he or she tells about them. Perhaps you had a secure and mundane childhood. There’s no good story to be told about that, so you might paint yourself as an orphan raised by sprites
in an otherworldly forest. Or your childhood might be worthy of a story. Some bards acquire their supernatural talents through extraordinary means, including the inspiration of fae or other supernatural creatures.
Class Features
These are the setting specific changes to the bard class features.
These are the setting specific changes to the bard class features.
Cleric
Divine magic, as the name suggests, is the power of the deities, moving through them into the world. Clerics are conduits for that power, manifesting it as miraculous effects. The gods don’t grant this power to everyone who seeks it, but only to those chosen to fulfill a higher calling.
Harnessing divine magic doesn’t rely on study or training. A cleric might learn formulaic prayers and ancient rites, but the ability to cast cleric spells relies on devotion and an intuitive sense of a deity’s wishes. Clerics combine the helpful magic of healing and inspiring their allies with spells that harm and hinder foes. They can provoke awe and dread, lay curses of plague or poison, and even call down flames from on high
to consume their enemies. For those evildoers who will benefit most from a mace to the head, clerics depend on their combat training to let them wade into melee with the power of the gods on their side.
As you create a cleric, the most important question to consider is which deity to serve and what principles you want your character to embody. Check with your DM to learn which deities are in your campaign.
Once you’ve chosen a deity, consider your cleric's relationship with them. Did you enter this service willingly? Or did the primis choose you, impelling you into service with no regard for your wishes? How do the temple priests of your faith regard you: as a champion or a troublemaker? What are your ultimate goals? Does your deity have a special task in mind for you? Or are you striving to prove yourself worthy of a great quest?
Class Features
These are the setting specific changes to the cleric class features.
These are the setting specific changes to the cleric class features.
Clerics do not have access to the Domain class feature. The gods and religions of Kaos Rhythm are not so fickle or specialized.
Druid
Druids revere nature above all, gaining their spells and other magical powers either from the force of nature itself or from a nature deity. Many druids pursue a mystic spirituality of transcendent union with nature rather than devotion to a divine entity, while others serve gods of wild nature, animals, or elemental forces. The ancient druidic traditions are sometimes called the Old Faith, in contrast to the worship of the Primis in temples and shrines.
Druid spells are oriented toward nature and animals - the power of tooth and claw, of sun and moon, of fire and storm. Druids also gain the ability to take on animal forms, and some druids make a particular study of this practice, even to the point where they prefer animal form to their natural form.
When making a druid, consider why your character has such a close bond with nature. Perhaps your character lives in a society where the Old Faith still thrives, or was
raised by a druid after being abandoned in the depths of a forest. Perhaps your character had a dramatic encounter with the spirits of nature, coming face to face with a giant eagle or dire wolf and surviving the experience. Maybe your character was born during an epic storm or a volcanic eruption, which was interpreted as a sign that becoming a druid was part of your character’s destiny.
Class Features
These are the setting specific changes to the druid class features.
Spellcasting Ability
At first level you must choose your Druid Circle, even though you don't receive any new abilities until 2nd level. When you choose your Druid Circle you may choose a different spellcasting ability - Circle of the Moon druids may choose either Charisma or Wisdom, and druids who choose the Circle of the Land may choose Wisdom or Intelligence as their spellcasting ability. Druid Circles
The Circle of the Moon is tied closely with the fae and their strange, non-arcana supernatural abilities. If you choose the Circle of the Moon, you learn Sylvan instead of Druidic at 1st level, which can be used in the same manner as Druidic to leave messages and communicate with the secretive fae.
These are the setting specific changes to the druid class features.
Spellcasting Ability
At first level you must choose your Druid Circle, even though you don't receive any new abilities until 2nd level. When you choose your Druid Circle you may choose a different spellcasting ability - Circle of the Moon druids may choose either Charisma or Wisdom, and druids who choose the Circle of the Land may choose Wisdom or Intelligence as their spellcasting ability. Druid Circles
The Circle of the Moon is tied closely with the fae and their strange, non-arcana supernatural abilities. If you choose the Circle of the Moon, you learn Sylvan instead of Druidic at 1st level, which can be used in the same manner as Druidic to leave messages and communicate with the secretive fae.
Fighter
As you build your fighter, think about two related elements of your character's background: Where did you get your combat training, and what set you apart from the mundane warriors around you? Were you particularly ruthless? Did you get extra help from a mentor, perhaps because of your exceptional dedication? What drove you to this training in the first place? A threat to your homeland, a thirst for revenge, or a need to prove yourself might all have been factors. You might have enjoyed formal training in a noble’s army or in a local militia. Perhaps you trained in a war academy, learning strategy, tactics, and military history. Or you might be self-taught—unpolished but well tested.
Did you take up the sword as a way to escape the limits of life on a farm, or are you following a proud family tradition? Where did you acquire your w eapons and armor? They might have been military issue or family heirlooms, or perhaps you scrimped and saved for years to buy them. Your armaments are now among your most important possessions - the only things that stand between you and death’s embrace.
Class Features
These are the setting specific changes to the fighter class features.
These are the setting specific changes to the fighter class features.
Monk
Monks make careful study of a magical energy that most monastic traditions call ki. This energy is an element of the magic that suffuses the multiverse - specifically, the element that flows through living bodies. Monks harness this power within themselves to create supernatural effects and exceed their bodies' physical capabilities, and some of their special attacks can hinder the flow of ki in their opponents. Using this energy, monks channel uncanny speed and strength into their unarm ed strikes. As they gain experience, their martial training and their mastery of ki gives them more power over their bodies and the bodies of their foes.
As you make your monk character, think about your connection to the monastery where you learned your skills and spent your formative years. Were you an orphan or a child left on the monastery’s threshold? Did your parents promise you to the monastery in gratitude for a service performed by the monks? Did you enter this secluded life to hide from a crime you committed? Or did you choose the monastic life for yourself?
Consider why you left. Did the head of your monastery choose you for a particularly important mission beyond the cloister? Perhaps you were cast out because of
some violation of the community’s rules. Did you dread leaving, or were you happy to go? Is there something you hope to accomplish outside the monastery? Are you eager to return to your home?
Class Features
These are the setting specific changes to the monk class features.
These are the setting specific changes to the monk class features.
Paladin
Different paladins focus on various aspects of the cause of righteousness, but all are
bound by the oaths that grant them power to do their sacred work. Although many paladins are devoted to gods of good, a paladin’s power comes as much from a
commitment to justice itself as it does from a god. Paladins train for years to learn the skills of combat, mastering a variety of weapons and armor. Even so, their martial skills are secondary to the magical power they wield: power to heal the sick and injured, to smite the wicked and the undead, and to protect the innocent and those who join them in the fight for justice.
The most important aspect of a paladin character is the nature of his or her holy quest. Although the class features related to your oath don't appear until you reach 3rd level, plan ahead for that choice by reading the oath descriptions at the end of the class. Are you a devoted servant of good, loyal to the gods of justice and honor, a holy knight in shining arm or venturing forth to smite evil? Are you a glorious champion of the light, cherishing everything beautiful that stands against the shadow? How did you experience your call to serve as a paladin? Did you hear a whisper from an unseen deity or primis while you were at prayer? Did another paladin sense the potential within you and decide to train you as a squire? Or did some terrible event - the destruction of your home, perhaps - drive you to your quests?
The most important aspect of a paladin character is the nature of his or her holy quest. Although the class features related to your oath don't appear until you reach 3rd level, plan ahead for that choice by reading the oath descriptions at the end of the class. Are you a devoted servant of good, loyal to the gods of justice and honor, a holy knight in shining arm or venturing forth to smite evil? Are you a glorious champion of the light, cherishing everything beautiful that stands against the shadow? How did you experience your call to serve as a paladin? Did you hear a whisper from an unseen deity or primis while you were at prayer? Did another paladin sense the potential within you and decide to train you as a squire? Or did some terrible event - the destruction of your home, perhaps - drive you to your quests?
Class Features
These are the setting specific changes to the paladin class features.
These are the setting specific changes to the paladin class features.
Ranger
Warriors of the wilderness, rangers specialize in hunting the monsters that threaten the edges of civilization - humanoid raiders, rampaging beasts and monstrosities, terrible giants, and deadly dragons. They learn to track their quarry as a predator does, moving stealthily through the wilds and hiding themselves in brush and rubble. Rangers focus their combat training on techniques that are particularly useful against their specific favored foes.
As you create your ranger character, consider the nature of the training that gave you your particular capabilities. Did you train with a single mentor, wandering the wilds together until you mastered the ranger’s ways? Did you leave your apprenticeship, or was your mentor slain - perhaps by the same kind of monster that became your favored enemy? Or perhaps you learned your skills as part of a band of rangers affiliated with a druidic circle, trained in mystic paths as well as wilderness lore. You might be self-taught, a recluse who learned combat skills, tracking, and even a magical connection to nature through the necessity of surviving in the wilds. What’s the source of your particular hatred of a certain kind of enemy? Did a monster kill someone you loved or destroy your home village? Or did you see too much of the destruction these monsters cause and commit yourself to reining in their depredations? Is your adventuring career a continuation of your work in protecting the borderlands, or a significant change?
Class Features
These are the setting specific changes to the ranger class features.
These are the setting specific changes to the ranger class features.
Rogue
Class Features
These are the setting specific changes to the rogue class features.
These are the setting specific changes to the rogue class features.
Sorcerer
Class Features
These are the setting specific changes to the sorcerer class features.
These are the setting specific changes to the sorcerer class features.
Warlock
Class Features
These are the setting specific changes to the warlock class features.
These are the setting specific changes to the warlock class features.
Wizard
Class Features
These are the setting specific changes to the wizard class features.
These are the setting specific changes to the wizard class features.
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